In late July, information reported that Apple employees could hear audio captured by Siri on the iPhone. This week, Facebook confirmed that it could also listen and transcribe Messenger voice messages. Now one more company has been discovered with the same practice: Microsoft.
A report from Vice stated that Redmond giant’s workers had access to the audio files stored. The US multinational has now updated its privacy policy and added information that humans can listen to Skype conversation content and requests to Cortana.
Until then, the document only warned that the recordings of the two tools would be used to improve them, but without specifying that their employees would listen to the files. The updated excerpt from the Microsoft document – available directly in Portuguese – states the following:
“Our processing of personal data for these purposes includes automatic and manual (human) processing methods. Our automated methods are often related to and supported by our manual methods. For example, our automated methods include AI, which we consider to be a set of technologies that allow computers to discover, know, detect, and assist in decision-making to solve problems similar to what people do. To compile, train, and improve the accuracy of our automated processing methods (including AI), we manually review some of the predictions and inferences generated by the automated methods against the underlying data on which predictions and inferences are based. For example,
Skype and Cortana
The Skype Translator and Cortana privacy pages now have a section that also explains whether suppliers and employees can listen to user recordings.
“This may include transcribing audio recordings by Microsoft employees and suppliers, subject to procedures designed to protect users’ privacy, including measures to unidentify data, which requires non-disclosure agreements with suppliers and their employees, and requires suppliers to meet the high standards of privacy set by European law and elsewhere. ”
How to delete your audios?
Internet users can manage their data stored by Microsoft in the company’s own online tool ( at this link ). Here, users can delete browsing history, audios, and other types of information that the company keeps from you.
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What is your opinion about Microsoft also joining the list of companies that can listen to your voice recordings? Tell us!
Source: privacy.microsoft.com
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