Siri is scary- Privacy & Potential

[eron]

People are always concerned with privacy issues relating to Google, and Facebook. Siri is basically going beyond what the 2 companies are able to access, and gather.

Everything you say to Siri will be sent to Apple servers, where it will be tagged to your personal profile, while growing the database, learning, and developing a more advanced AI that will in the future be ubiquitous.

It's growth potential is huge, due to people's willingness to share their most basic personal information, and habits. Ads will be more targeted, and search engines such as Google will become secondary in the mobile world.

Even we assume that Apple won't sell the personal information to other companies, the implementation of iAds which has access to personal information, in common platforms other than Apple-based ones will be attractive to advertising companies.

--

"By using Siri,you agree and consent to Apple's and its subsidiaries' and agents' transmission, collection, maintenance, processing, and use of this information, including your VOICE INPUT and USER DATA, to provide and improve Siri and other Apple products and services. If you have Location Services turned on, the location of your iOS device at the time you make a request will also be sent to Apple....(License Agreement 4c, emphasis added).

 

[Small White Car]

The difference is that Google and Facebook specifically gather information TO sell. That's their business model. Everyone knows it and they'll admit it.

That's not what Apple does and it's not how they make their money, as far as we know.

So the only problem here is IF you assume Google and Facebook are honest and Apple is lying.

It's possible, I guess...but what leads you to that conclusion? I happen to trust all 3 companies equally. What makes you single one out and think they're the ones that are lying?

 

[HazyCloud]

Not scurred at all. If Siri/Apple want's to know my wife's name, it's all good. Now if I ask to FaceTime my wife from a gentleman's club and Siri says, "Sorry, I can't do that. It may incriminate you", I'll be scared.

 

[eron]

It's possible, I guess...but what leads you to that conclusion? I happen to trust all 3 companies equally. What makes you single one out and think they're the ones that are lying?

The point of my thread wasn't to say Apple is lying. I did not say that. I'm not saying that they gather the information for advertising purposes either. Though iAds has been considered in iOS 5.

The point of my thread is to highlight the growth potential of Siri, as well as the information that is so easily revealed to Apple, which will then allow them to quickly capture the future AI market. I'm now guessing that the huge Apple data centre could be partly for the purpose of storing, and analysing every single word said in Siri.

Apple does great in advancing the ease of technology in people's life. I'm just highlighting the potential outcomes, and possible concerns.

You can deactivate Facebook, but Apple makes it so easy, and tempting to just use their services, and allowing them to gather more intimate data that other companies have failed to access.

 

[admanimal]

where it will be tagged to your personal profile

I'm sure they collect all sorts of data from what people say and the responses, but what evidence do you have that this is not done anonymously?

 

[eron]

I'm sure they collect all sorts of data from what people say and the responses, but what evidence do you have that this is not done anonymously?

http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/siri-faq.html

And the more you use Siri, the better it will understand you. It does this by learning about your accent and other characteristics of your voice. Siri uses voice recognition algorithms to categorize your voice into one of the dialects or accents it understands. As more people use Siri and it’s exposed to more variations of a language, its overall recognition of dialects and accents will continue to improve, and Siri will work even better.

Even if it doesn't know what your real name is, it will at least tag it to the phone id and backup files.
--
Adding on from a privacy concern thread started by another user:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1254972/

"By using Siri,you agree and consent to Apple's and its subsidiaries' and agents' transmission, collection, maintenance, processing, and use of this information, including your VOICE INPUT and USER DATA, to provide and improve Siri and other Apple products and services. If you have Location Services turned on, the location of your iOS device at the time you make a request will also be sent to Apple....(License Agreement 4c, emphasis added).

PIC: Siri avoiding privacy issue!

 

[macinmac]

I would like to add just one thing.. no matter what we do, no matter what THEY do...they know everything!!! I would love to have my own little space without sharing it with anyone but that, is impossible...so I' ll keep my own things in my head and the other ones I will use them on iCloud.

 

[eron]

no matter what we do, no matter what THEY do...they know everything!!!

Yes, you are right. There are various means to try to stay anonymous on the internet.

However, with the introduction of Siri, the "they" which refers to many companies, may one day be primarily Apple. That's the potential I see.

 

[andyblila]

The paranoia starts.

 

[ToddyT]

Personally, I welcome our new overlord.

 

[Peace]

http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/siri-faq.html


Even if it doesn't know what your real name is, it will at least tag it to the phone id and backup files.
--
Adding on from a privacy concern thread started by another user:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1254972/



PIC: Siri avoiding privacy issue!

Not that I dont take privacy issues seriously but to use a canned response from Siri to use as an example of secrecy is truly ludicrous .

And btw. Apple already knows what your name is because you registered the product.

 

[macbookpro45]

privacy is so overrated

 

[Malus Deus]

well as long as you don't say this to Siri:

"Well, I gotta tell you: I'd be very, very careful who you talk to about that, because the person who wrote that... is dangerous.

And this button-down, Oxford-cloth psycho might just snap, and then stalk from office to office with an Armalite AR-10 carbine gas-powered semi-automatic weapon, pumping round after round into colleagues and co-workers. This might be someone you've known for years. Someone very, very close to you."

Then I think you won't have any problems.

 

[eron]

The more unique personal information Apple gains access to, the more powerful it becomes!

 

[ipoddin]

I think you should be more concerned if you allow Siri to operate without unlocking the screen. Someone could pick up your phone and start sending out vulgar text messages to your mom, sister, boss, etc...if they guess that you've already setup voice tags for them.

 

[Pinkiy]

I think you should be more concerned if you allow Siri to operate without unlocking the screen. Someone could pick up your phone and start sending out vulgar text messages to your mom, sister, boss, etc...if they guess that you've already setup voice tags for them.

thats why everyone in my phone has a nickname

 

[Humptydump]

But he loves me

Personally, I welcome our new overlord.

Siri, is more patient than my girlfriend, it always replies no matter what I ask it.

As for privacy, too late for that , apple have my name, my address, even my date of birth. What more would they need or want.

 

[GoCubsGo]

This comment has been marked private.

 

[eron]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkai...i-could-lead-to-real-artificial-intelligence/

Siri could lead to real AI.

 

[Ponderous]

The paranoia starts.

Will we all take the blue pill?

----------

Siri, is more patient than my girlfriend, it always replies no matter what I ask it.

Oh, so if you ask her a question she doesn't snap back "Nothing" ?

 

[Mike Reed]

They have their policies outlined regarding Siri data collection here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4984?viewlocale=en_US

Doesn't sound too bad to me. I'd actually like to think that my input is being looked at, at least in aggregate with everyone else's. Siri has been pretty accurate so far, but with more input I'd imagine Apple's engineers will be able to make her even more responsive and capable.

 

[Kaenon]

thats why everyone in my phone has a nickname

But if they don't have you as a nickname, then...

 

[Galahadoc]

And btw. Apple already knows what your name is because you registered the product.

As for privacy, too late for that , apple have my name, my address, even my date of birth. What more would they need or want.

Both of these comments are so very naive. Name, address, DOB, those details are readily available - 2/3 you would have given when signing up to this and probably dozens of other forums. It's when someone takes those personal identifiers and collates data about you in order to use - sometimes for your benefit, sometimes for theirs, and most likely also for other peoples, and all likely without your knowing permission. They'll collate your likes, dislikes, potentially your voice signature, facial signature, where you go, how long you go there for, who you talk to, how long you talk to them for, who you message, what you message, etc etc etc. I'm not saying their intent is to file all of this information away about everyone, although I wouldnt be suprised if 'they' did, but to think that "they have my name so they won't want anything else." is very naive.

Personally, I'm not too concerned about my level of privacy, I welcome targeted advertisement, we have to see the crap so it may as well be relevant. I think Facebook, Apple, Windows, and Google, can as easily as each other compile this information and will all use it in the same way. At this stage i'm not overly concerned with what they will do with it, I use their products and think it may benefit me, but at least I understand that they have the capability of having this information.

 

[sakau2007]

Why do people have such a problem with targeted advertisements?

I welcome targeted ads. They are going to advertise to me until the day I die, so it might as well be products I like. And since advertising will be far more effective over the next 20 years than it was during the age of newspapers and radio, there may be less of it because advertisers will be willing to pay more. Do people get upset when they watch a football game that beer is advertised? Or that sports bars are advertised? Or that other sporting events are advertised? Of course not. That's targeted advertising too. The internet revolution just allows for it to get a whole lot better. You're damn straight I want to meet young singles in my area... at least I'd rather meet them than watch an ad for a 1-900 number. Of course I am interested in notifying me of major traffic problems on the highway down the road. If the stores I buy my clothes at are having sales, please let me know about it. I'd love to know that Express Men & J. Crew are having a clearance. The fact that Victoria's Secret isn't wasting time advertising to me is good for me, good for them, good for business everywhere!

That being said, I am not a big fan of having my privacy invaded. But so long as it doesn't get me or people I know in trouble with the law (my kid googling how to pass a drug test, and then cops show up with a search warrant) then I'm fine with it. Targeted ads, bring it on. Using my information to get me in trouble, no thanks.

 

[Don Kosak]

Just give everyone one of your contacts a COOL James Bond style nickname.

Also, develop a system of code words for use in SMS messages, as you never know who might be ease dropping on those.

Your Siri session should go something like this:

You: "Siri, send a message to The Condor. The magic bean is on the move. Recommend protocol red. I say again, protocol red"

(Translation, "Honey, I'm on my way home from work. Let's have PizzaHut tonight.")