Apple on Thursday announced that Siri data has never been used to create marketing profiles, has never been shared for advertising purposes, and has never been sold to anyone. “We are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private, and will continue to do so,” Apple stated.
Here is how Siri protects user data:
- On-Device Processing: Siri processes as much information as possible directly on the user’s device. This ensures personalized experiences without sending personal data to Apple servers. For instance, when Siri reads unread messages or offers suggestions, the process happens on the device. The message content isn’t sent to Apple’s servers because it isn’t needed to complete the request. On capable devices, the Neural Engine processes audio requests entirely on the device unless the user opts to share data with Apple.
- Minimal Data Collection: Some features require input from Apple servers, but Siri uses minimal data to deliver results. Siri requests are not linked to the user’s Apple account. Instead, a random identifier, a string of letters and numbers, tracks data without connecting it to the user’s identity, which Apple believes is unique among digital assistants. Audio recordings are not stored unless the user opts in for improvement purposes, and users can opt out anytime.
- Private Cloud Compute: Apple uses Private Cloud Compute to extend privacy protections to the cloud for complex models that require more processing power. This system ensures that data used in these processes is not stored or accessible by Apple, maintaining user privacy even when cloud resources are necessary.
Apple’s Commitment to Privacy
Apple emphasized its commitment to user data protection, designing its products and services, including Siri, with privacy as a core principle. This approach includes data minimization, on-device intelligence, transparency, control, and robust security measures to provide users with secure and private experiences.
Apple reiterated,
We believe privacy is a fundamental human right, and we will continue our relentless focus on designing our products and services to protect it.