Have you ever asked Siri to tell you a joke or set a timer for you? If you have, you might be surprised to learn that Apple, the company that makes Siri, is going to pay $95 million to people who have used Siri in the last decade.
Why?
Because of some important privacy concerns about how Siri collects and stores information.
What happened with Siri? And what does this mean for other users using Alexa and Google Assistant?
What’s Going On?!
Did you know that every single time you talk to Siri, it collects information about your voice and what you are saying?
Apple has been using this information to help Siri get better at understanding you.
Some people and companies raised concerns about this situation. Some of the recordings have sensitive information, like private conversations that Siri “accidentally” overhead.
The problem was, people didn’t know their voices were being recorded. Or did you??
Hence, this caused a big fuss, and that’s why Apple is now paying $95 million to people who used Siri.
Why $95 million and How Will The Amount Be Split?
Apple didn’t want to go to court over this issue, so they decided to settle the full amount to avoid a long legal battle.
This money will be split among people who used Siri during the past 10 years and are part of the lawsuit.
Although not everyone will get a huge amount, it shows that companies need to be careful about how they handle people’s information.
Consequences
Apple promised after the lawsuit, to be transparent about they do with users information in the future. They’ve also added features that let users stop Siri from storing their voice recordings.
What Does This Mean For You as a User?
If you have asked Siri to help you, in the past decade, you might be able to get a small payout from the settlement.
However, it won’t be a lot of money — it’s not like you’ll get thousands of dollars.
But…it’s still a big deal because it shows that Apple is being held responsible for how it handles personal data.
A Wake-Up Call for Tech Companies
This situation is a reminder that tech companies need to respect their users’ privacy. Siri is a great tool that helps people in many ways, but if users don’t feel safe or confident about how their data is being used, they may stop using it.
Apple always tried to position itself as a company that cares about privacy.
Where, this settlement, shows that even big companies like Apple can be held accountable when things go wrong.
The good news is that Apple has made changes to protect users better, and other companies may follow their example.
Will Siri End?
So, what’s Next? Apple’s $95 million settlement neither means Siri will stop working nor it will stop collecting information.
However, it means that Apple is going to be more transparent and give users more control over their data.
How did Apple make billions through branding & marketing?
As technology gets more advanced, it’s important that you think about your privacy and how your data is being used.
Todays situation is the biggest example.
Conclusion: What We Have To Learn From This
The $95 million payment is a big reminder that companies need to be clear about how they use users’ personal information.
It’s important for you to know how to use platforms and devices as well. In addition, you need to have control over your privacy.
So, the next time you ask Sir (or other AI voicechat) for a joke, remember: while Siri might be listening, you can also have more say in what she hears and keeps!
Liked this article? Checkout “How AI became 100 times more powerful 2 weeks ago“
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