Apple Faces Legal Challenges Over Allegations of Data Privacy Violations Linked to Siri
A complaint has been filed in Paris alleging massive data collection practices related to the use of Siri, following revelations from a former employee.
On February 13, 2025, the Ligue des Droits de l'Homme submitted a complaint to the Paris prosecutor's office against Apple Inc., asserting the company has engaged in large-scale collection of personal data through its virtual assistant, Siri.
The complaint follows disclosures from a former employee of a subcontractor for Apple, Thomas Le Bonniec, who has come forward as a whistleblower.
Le Bonniec, who worked for Globe Technical Services (GTS) in Cork, Ireland, in 2019, claimed that employees were tasked with analyzing a substantial volume of audio recordings in which individuals interacted with Siri.
He mentioned that on a daily basis, each worker was required to process approximately 1,300 recordings.
This included not only intentional interactions but also inadvertent activations of Siri that captured private conversations without users' consent.
In interviews with Le Monde and Radio France, Le Bonniec described the types of recordings he and his colleagues were exposed to, including intimate and sensitive discussions.
He recounted experiences such as overhearing individuals discussing financial details and instances of couples engaging in sexual activities.
These observations led him to characterize the work environment as one of pervasive eavesdropping.
Le Bonniec described the process as involving verification of the accuracy of Siri's transcriptions, frequently categorizing recordings as 'accidental triggers' — instances when the assistant was activated unintentionally.
After having listened to more than 50,000 recordings, Le Bonniec reportedly decided to exit the company after hearing particularly troubling content.
He alleges that such practices are not isolated to Apple and suggests that similar protocols may be present at other major tech firms including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.
In response to these allegations, Apple affirmed that Siri was designed with user privacy in mind, stating that the protection of user data is a cornerstone of its approach to technology.
The complaint in Paris coincides with a potential class-action lawsuit in California, Lopez vs.
Apple, set to be addressed on February 14, 2025. This lawsuit alleges that Apple recorded, processed, and stored private conversations without user consent between 2014 and 2024. Should the proposed settlement be approved, it could require Apple to compensate affected individuals with a total of $95 million to resolve the claims.
The ongoing legal scrutiny reflects wider concerns over data privacy practices among tech companies, highlighting the challenges that major technology firms face in maintaining user trust and compliance with privacy regulations.
The complaint follows disclosures from a former employee of a subcontractor for Apple, Thomas Le Bonniec, who has come forward as a whistleblower.
Le Bonniec, who worked for Globe Technical Services (GTS) in Cork, Ireland, in 2019, claimed that employees were tasked with analyzing a substantial volume of audio recordings in which individuals interacted with Siri.
He mentioned that on a daily basis, each worker was required to process approximately 1,300 recordings.
This included not only intentional interactions but also inadvertent activations of Siri that captured private conversations without users' consent.
In interviews with Le Monde and Radio France, Le Bonniec described the types of recordings he and his colleagues were exposed to, including intimate and sensitive discussions.
He recounted experiences such as overhearing individuals discussing financial details and instances of couples engaging in sexual activities.
These observations led him to characterize the work environment as one of pervasive eavesdropping.
Le Bonniec described the process as involving verification of the accuracy of Siri's transcriptions, frequently categorizing recordings as 'accidental triggers' — instances when the assistant was activated unintentionally.
After having listened to more than 50,000 recordings, Le Bonniec reportedly decided to exit the company after hearing particularly troubling content.
He alleges that such practices are not isolated to Apple and suggests that similar protocols may be present at other major tech firms including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.
In response to these allegations, Apple affirmed that Siri was designed with user privacy in mind, stating that the protection of user data is a cornerstone of its approach to technology.
The complaint in Paris coincides with a potential class-action lawsuit in California, Lopez vs.
Apple, set to be addressed on February 14, 2025. This lawsuit alleges that Apple recorded, processed, and stored private conversations without user consent between 2014 and 2024. Should the proposed settlement be approved, it could require Apple to compensate affected individuals with a total of $95 million to resolve the claims.
The ongoing legal scrutiny reflects wider concerns over data privacy practices among tech companies, highlighting the challenges that major technology firms face in maintaining user trust and compliance with privacy regulations.
