U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White says Apple Inc must face proposed class-action litigation alleging that its voice-activated Siri infringes on users’ privacy.
He also said the plaintiffs could try to prove that Siri routinely recorded their private conversations due to “accidental activations,” and that Apple passed those conversations on to advertisers.
One Siri user claimed that his private conversations with a doctor about “brand name surgical treatment” had resulted in him receiving targeted advertising for this treatment, while two others claimed that their personal conversations about Air Jordan sneakers, Pit Viper sunglasses and “Olive Garden” had led to them receiving advertising for these specific products.
Apple accuses the plaintiffs of not being able to confirm the content of their communications, but the private setting alone is enough to expect adequate privacy according to experts.
Both Apple and the plaintiffs’ attorneys have not yet commented.
For more information, view the original story from Reuters.