News and journalism
Apple contractors 'regularly hear confidential details' on Siri recordings
Alex Hern, The Guardian, 2019
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- The July 2019 report, based on a whistleblower, that revealed Apple contractors graded Siri recordings including accidental activations.
- How much weight it carries
- The original news report that started the 2019 disclosures. It relies on an anonymous insider and Apple's response.
Facts taken from this source
- Apple told the Guardian in 2019 that less than 1% of daily Siri activations were used for grading, and that the clips were typically only a few seconds long.
“a very small random subset, less than 1% of daily Siri activations, are used for grading, and those used are typically only a few seconds long” (Apple statement)
- The Guardian reported in July 2019 that Apple contractors regularly hear confidential medical information, drug deals and recordings of couples having sex as part of quality control for Siri.
“Apple contractors regularly hear confidential medical information, drug deals, and recordings of couples having sex, as part of their job providing quality control” (Opening paragraph)
Pages that rest on this source
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