Siri data never sold to anyone: Apple

Apple Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles nor has it been sold to anyone, Apple said in a January 8 statement. The statement follows recent allegations of data sharing with third parties, which Apple has firmly denied in its detailed newsroom post.

The tech giant also highlighted its ongoing efforts to enhance Siri’s privacy features, underscoring its dedication to protecting user trust.

“Apple settled this case to avoid additional litigation so we can move forward from concerns about third-party grading that we already addressed in 2019,” an Apple spokesperson told Fortune India.

Earlier this year, Apple settled a $95 million lawsuit in the U.S. over claims that Siri conversations were accidentally recorded and overheard by contractors.

“We use Siri data to improve Siri, and we are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private,” the spokesperson added.

Elaborating on how Apple secures Siri audio data, Apple stated that Siri uses on-device processing, “without having to transfer and analyse personal information on Apple servers.”

“Although Apple attempts to do as much as possible on device, certain features require real-time input from Apple servers. And when that’s the case, Siri uses as little data as possible to deliver an accurate result. Siri searches and requests are not associated with your Apple Account. A random identifier is used to keep track of data while it’s being processed, rather than tying it to a user’s identity through their Apple Account or phone number,” Apple added.

Apple has assured that it does not retain audio recordings of Siri interactions unless users explicitly opt in to help improve Siri, and even then, the recordings are used solely for that purpose. Users can easily opt out at any time.

What sparked the controversy?

As Apple settled a US lawsuit over claims of recorded Siri conversations for ad targeting. The settlement applies to owners of Siri-enabled devices purchased between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024, who unintentionally activated Siri during private conversations. Eligible users could receive up to $20 per device for up to five devices, though actual payouts depend on the number of claims. A judge’s approval is still pending.

The case stems from a 2019 report revealing contractors heard sensitive conversations, including confidential discussions, due to accidental Siri activations. Apple apologised, ended the retention of Siri recordings by default, and updated its policies to ensure recordings are used only for improving Siri and never shared with third-party contractors.

The broader issue of ad targeting raises questions about privacy across tech platforms. Ad networks track users through location data, app activity, and third-party brokers, creating detailed profiles. Although Apple denies any misuse, critics point to anecdotal reports of users receiving ads linked to conversations near Siri-enabled devices. Similar privacy concerns have also implicated companies like Google and Amazon, which face lawsuits over contractors accessing user recordings.

While the lawsuit concerned US users, when asked if Apple has different policies for different geographies, Apple spokesperson said that the principle is not geo-specific and selling of data has never been the revenue model for Apple.