Apple’s iOS 13.2 is on its way, along with a crucial Siri opt-in option.
Apple’s iOS 13.2 is on its way, with a host of new features and updates. One particularly important change for Apple’s billion Siri users is starting to roll out with the latest beta for the soon to launch iOS 13.2 update.
You might remember a month ago that Apple said it would make Siri recordings opt-in only–rather than the setting being turned on by default. This option should be available in iOS 13.2 after the second beta rolled out with the feature, according to TechCrunch.
Apple first confirmed it would make Siri recordings opt-in only in August, following a massive backlash when the Guardian reported people’s interactions were being listened to by third party contractors. Concerningly, it turned out that the Apple voice assistant was often activated by accident and was picking up sensitive conversations such as users talking to their doctor and sexual encounters. The scale of the operation was huge, with contractors listening to up to 1,000 Siri recordings a day.
Others such as Facebook have also been called out for not being clear about using external contractors to listen to voice recordings. As have both Amazon and Google, with Google also making the practice opt-in only after pausing its program of listening to recordings.
Apple, which is striving to be seen as the firm that cares about your privacy, has also taken measures to make its Siri policy more clear. It stopped using external contractors and said it would develop a new opt in program–and it’s this initiative that is rolling out with the latest iOS 13.2 beta.
In a bid for clarity and to encourage people to opt-in, Apple says that only its own employees will now review audio clips of those who choose to allow the firm to listen to recordings. However, contractors and Apple employees can read text only computer-generated transcripts.
For even greater control, users can also manually delete data from their past Siri requests with “Delete Siri and Dictation History.”
Apple’s iOS 13 Siri Feature: It’s about time
The option to opt-in should, of course, have been there by default from the start. Ethical hacker John Opdenakker says that although it's good to see the move to opt-in probably available from iOS 13.2: “If you think about it, it's alarming that Apple–and other companies like Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft and Google–fail to respect their users' privacy. It gives the impression to the outside world that they only take action when such scandals arise.”
Security researcher Sean Wright agrees: “After Apple was caught, it now looks like it is doing the right thing and putting better control into the hands of the user. My only hope is that other companies follow suit.”
But Jake Moore, cybersecurity expert at ESET points out that in an era of mass data collection, there was always going to be a learning curve: “Apple and all other technology firms are in desperate need of more data where they can get their hands on it. For many years people have not given their personal data much thought but now with privacy such a hot topic, at least these firms are asking for it correctly.”
And Apple’s iOS 13 seems to be at least trying to take this approach on board. Despite bugs and security issues in its early stages, Apple’s updated operating system is already impressing users with a host of new security and privacy options that set it apart from its rivals.
Of course, iOS 13.2 is still in beta, so it’s possible this crucial new Siri feature won’t arrive with the actual launch. However, with the program seemingly complete, it probably won’t be far away.
