Contractors Working on Siri 'Regularly' Hear Recordings of Drug Deals, Private Medical Info and More Claims Apple Employee

[mrkite77]

Key word annoymized. That’s the important part. Google has been doing this forever with less personal protections.

Firstly, Google doesn't save your recordings at all unless you opt-in. Secondly, did you even read the article?

From Apple's own security whitepaper:

"user voice data is saved for a six-month period so that the recognition system can use them to better understand a person's voice. After six months, a second copy is saved sans any identifier and is used by Apple for improving Siri for up to two years. "

The recordings aren't anonymized until after 6 months.. for the first 6 months, they're tied to your Apple ID.

 

[Veinticinco]

It's always contractors, almost never employees.

There's an obvious financial/loyalty vs moral obligation reason for that. Doesn't mean the contractor isn't telling the truth. See Edward Snowden.

 

[jclo]

Firstly, Google doesn't save your recordings at all unless you opt-in. Secondly, did you even read the article?

From Apple's own security whitepaper:

"user voice data is saved for a six-month period so that the recognition system can use them to better understand a person's voice. After six months, a second copy is saved sans any identifier and is used by Apple for improving Siri for up to two years. "

The recordings aren't anonymized until after 6 months.. for the first 6 months, they're tied to your Apple ID.

That's not accurate, and you're misinterpreting the info from the white paper. They're stored during the original period with a RANDOM identifier, and then later, without any identifier. That random identifier can be reset by turning Siri off and on again, which deletes all of the Siri info tied to it. It's not tied to an Apple ID. I'll make that clearer in the article.

"When Siri is turned on, the device creates random identifiers for use with the voice recognition and Siri servers. These identifiers are used only within Siri and are utilized to improve the service. If Siri is subsequently turned off, the device will generate a new random identifier to be used if Siri is turned back on."

"User voice recordings are saved for a six-month period so that the recognition system can utilize them to better understand the user’s voice. After six months, another copy is saved, without its identifier, for use by Apple in improving 
and developing Siri for up to two years. A small subset of recordings, transcripts, and associated data without identifiers may continue to be used 
by Apple for ongoing improvement and quality assurance of Siri beyond two years. Additionally, some recordings that reference music, sports teams and players, and businesses or points of interest are similarly saved for purposes 
of improving Siri."

The white paper: https://www.apple.com/business/site/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf

 

[theapplehead]

This literally showed up the day after I decided to activate Hey Siri. Pure irony

 

[subjonas]

Who knows what’s really going on at Apple, but assuming as much anonymization as possible is being done, I’m hoping they also have proper regard for these sensitive oversight positions, which would include careful vetting, as well as thorough training which strongly emphasizes the highest respect of personal information, with accountability safeguards built in. I don’t expect this of all companies, but I do expect it of Apple (which is why I choose their products).

 

[nebo1ss]

People....calm down. There IS a huge difference between Apple and the rest of these devices. Details and facts matter here.

Google/Amazon devices...ALWAYS RECORDING. Humans listening. Recordings subpoenaed by authorities.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/14/amazon-echo-recordings-judge-murder-case/
https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/tech/amazon-echo-alexa-bentonville-arkansas-murder-case/index.html

Apple devices...Recording AFTER YOU ACTIVATE SIRI. Humans listening to a small portion to improve recognition. Stripped of personal data.

Now the contractor is stating that they have heard drug deals, doctors convos, sexual activity...yes they have...from people activating Siri inadvertently!!!

The article is sensationalizing this and making it seem like Apple is always listening through Siri. They are not. Move along. Nothing to see here.

This response is so funny. You truly Think these drug dealers, doctors and others are actually saying HI SIRI. I think most of us accept that all of the systems SIRI, Google, Alexa are always open.

 

[mrkite77]

That's not accurate, and you're misinterpreting the info from the white paper. They're stored during the original period with a RANDOM identifier, and then later, without any identifier. That random identifier can be reset by turning Siri off and on again, which deletes all of the Siri info tied to it. It's not tied to an Apple ID. I'll make that clearer in the article.

"When Siri is turned on, the device creates random identifiers for use with the voice recognition and Siri servers. These identifiers are used only within Siri and are utilized to improve the service. If Siri is subsequently turned off, the device will generate a new random identifier to be used if Siri is turned back on."

"User voice recordings are saved for a six-month period so that the recognition system can utilize them to better understand the user’s voice. After six months, another copy is saved, without its identifier, for use by Apple in improving 
and developing Siri for up to two years. A small subset of recordings, transcripts, and associated data without identifiers may continue to be used 
by Apple for ongoing improvement and quality assurance of Siri beyond two years. Additionally, some recordings that reference music, sports teams and players, and businesses or points of interest are similarly saved for purposes 
of improving Siri."

The white paper: https://www.apple.com/business/site/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf

"When a Siri session is initiated, the user’s first and last name (from Contacts), along with a rough geographic location, are sent to the server. "

 

[jclo]

"When a Siri session is initiated, the user’s first and last name (from Contacts), along with a rough geographic location, are sent to the server. "

Yes, but this isn't the info that's sent to reviewers or used for improvement purposes.

 

[TheSapient]

People....calm down. There IS a huge difference between Apple and the rest of these devices. Details and facts matter here.

Google/Amazon devices...ALWAYS RECORDING. Humans listening. Recordings subpoenaed by authorities.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/14/amazon-echo-recordings-judge-murder-case/
https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/tech/amazon-echo-alexa-bentonville-arkansas-murder-case/index.html

Apple devices...Recording AFTER YOU ACTIVATE SIRI. Humans listening to a small portion to improve recognition. Stripped of personal data.

Now the contractor is stating that they have heard drug deals, doctors convos, sexual activity...yes they have...from people activating Siri inadvertently!!!

The article is sensationalizing this and making it seem like Apple is always listening through Siri. They are not. Move along. Nothing to see here.

My understanding is they all work basically the same way. They are always listening and saving a few seconds of recording locally. When they think they hear an activation they start recording locally at length, and send the activation phrase plus a bit more to the servers, where AI verifies that someone was likely trying to activate the service. If the AI agrees that the user was trying to use the service, the longer recording is sent for processing.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

I see absolutely no reason to have a home pod, google or Alexa device period. What makes these things so interesting to people. Are they so lonely they need a box to talk to? I can play my own music and search the internet already

From what I can see, it's purely a certain type of human being truly lazy. Nothing more than laziness just like takeaway food etc and hence the high levels of obesity.
I agree, i'd never want or need a HomePod or Alexa rubbish - I like to do things and in my free time, i'm an athlete but some people are just pure... lazy!
Has society really gone this low that it needs these idiot things? Yes.

 

[mrkite77]

Yes, but this isn't the info that's sent to reviewers or used for improvement purposes.

How do we know? Apple seemed to go out of their way to specifically point out that the Apple ID wasn't shared, not all identifying information.

"User requests are not associated with the user's Apple ID. Siri responses are analysed in secure facilities and all reviewers are under the obligation to adhere to Apple's strict confidentiality requirements."

 

[spinedoc77]

Huge disappointment, I thought Siri only kept information locally until it determined that it was a legitimate request. I also thought turning off "Hey Siri" in settings made sure it didn't listen in on information at all. I hope this ends up being a big stink for Apple, they really need to change this. WTF is it with these personal assistants, I really can't see them as very useful other than what can be done locally right on the phone, but otherwise I can just search for something on the internet and probably get an answer much more efficiently.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

is the issue only when Siri is invoked? Or is Siri listening and recording audio 24/7? To hear drug deals, sex, etc., one would be using Siri at the same time?

 

[Baymowe335]

Firstly, Google doesn't save your recordings at all unless you opt-in. Secondly, did you even read the article?

From Apple's own security whitepaper:

"user voice data is saved for a six-month period so that the recognition system can use them to better understand a person's voice. After six months, a second copy is saved sans any identifier and is used by Apple for improving Siri for up to two years. "

The recordings aren't anonymized until after 6 months.. for the first 6 months, they're tied to your Apple ID.

You didn't interpret this correctly or also failed to read the article. Your statement is inaccurate.

 

[mrkite77]

is the issue only when Siri is invoked? Or is Siri listening and recording audio 24/7? To hear drug deals, sex, etc., one would be using Siri at the same time?

It's only listening when invoked.. but false-triggers happen on all platforms. Plus, the Apple Watch can be setup to trigger siri whenever you lift up your arm.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

People....calm down. There IS a huge difference between Apple and the rest of these devices. Details and facts matter here.

Google/Amazon devices...ALWAYS RECORDING. Humans listening. Recordings subpoenaed by authorities.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/14/amazon-echo-recordings-judge-murder-case/
https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/tech/amazon-echo-alexa-bentonville-arkansas-murder-case/index.html

Apple devices...Recording AFTER YOU ACTIVATE SIRI. Humans listening to a small portion to improve recognition. Stripped of personal data.

Now the contractor is stating that they have heard drug deals, doctors convos, sexual activity...yes they have...from people activating Siri inadvertently!!!

The article is sensationalizing this and making it seem like Apple is always listening through Siri. They are not. Move along. Nothing to see here.

No. You're wrong here. From how I am reading this, it's when the 'Hey Siri' function is switched on in the settings and then it's listening to the conversations. You DON'T accidentally activate Siri on your iPhone when you are sat with your doctor etc. To me, it's that damn setting 'HEY SIRI' switched 'ON'.

What i've got to ask is, why is Siri so dumb? I used her whilst riding home this evening to make a phone call and she sounded so miserable. There doesn't seem to be a consistency with her.

 

[5105973]

Huge disappointment, I thought Siri only kept information locally until it determined that it was a legitimate request. I also thought turning off "Hey Siri" in settings made sure it didn't listen in on information at all. I hope this ends up being a big stink for Apple, they really need to change this. WTF is it with these personal assistants, I really can't see them as very useful other than what can be done locally right on the phone, but otherwise I can just search for something on the internet and probably get an answer much more efficiently.

Our family finds them useful, especially Alexa. As we find out we’ve run out of something we tell her to add it to our shopping list. We keep the Echo in the kitchen. We used to have one in the family room but the TV kept activating it. Nothing quite like hearing Alexa trying to have a conversation with Chef Ramsey!

We chuck these speaker/assistants in a common area of the house.

It’s the assistants on the phones and tablets that have me concerned. Can’t forget Bixby and Cortana, either. Their TOS’s are way to broad for my liking.

 

[MarkB786]

Ok all you blind Apple privacy fanatics. What say you? Could it really be that pure, virgin Apple ain't all that clean when it comes to privacy? When will you realize that Tim is just another greedy, loony CEO that lies left and right?

 

[BigBoy2018]

This here is the next week of headlines blowing this out of proportion. Brace yourself.

Or yet another indication Apple has lost it's touch ... but to all fanboys, that will of course never, ever happen.

 

[I7guy]

Ok all you blind Apple privacy fanatics. What say you? Could it really be that pure, virgin Apple ain't all that clean when it comes to privacy? When will you realize that Tim is just another greedy, loony CEO that lies left and right?

Because Apple wants to make Siri better, Tim is greedy? That doesn’t track.

 

[MarkB786]

Because Apple wants to make Siri better, Tim is greedy? That doesn’t track.

Greedy= lying and deceiving to get and keep users. Would he sell more phones if he said "We respect your privacy, except for the part where contractors can hear you having sex."

 

[I7guy]

Greedy= lying and deceiving to get and keep users. Would he sell more phones if he said "We respect your privacy, except for the part where contractors can hear you having sex."

My definition of greedy is different than yours, but then again this is an anonymous posting forum, where sometimes hyperbole reigns supreme.

 

[MarkB786]

My definition of greedy is different than yours, but then again this is an anonymous posting forum, where sometimes hyperbole reigns supreme.

True to the politics of today, I wonder if it was Samsung or Google that had been the subject of the news story, you wouldn't have jumped all over them. We tend to blindly favor our own candidate/phone maker. It's a sad human bias.

 

[I7guy]

True to the politics of today, I wonder if it was Samsung or Google that had been the subject of the news story, you wouldn't have jumped all over them. We tend to blindly favor our own candidate/phone maker. It's a sad human bias.

Has nothing to do with you called Tom Cook greedy and I disagreed with your “definition”.

 

[MarkB786]

Has nothing to do with you called Tom Cook greedy and I disagreed with your “definition”.

Greedy: "Having or showing an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth or power. Money-grubbing, money-grabbing; informalgrabby; rarepleonectic, Mammonish, Mammonistic"

Sounds like someone who would lie and deceive to get their stock options to max out. Of course, that's not Tim at all.