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In 2019, The Guardian reported that contractors reviewing Siri recordings for Apple heard sensitive material, including medical information, drug deals and couples having sex. Apple then paused human grading and announced changes. Apple’s current published policy says Siri audio is not retained by default and that audio review for improvement requires opt-in. The 2019 reporting does not establish that contractors review Siri audio today.
What The Guardian reported about Siri recordings
In a July 26, 2019 investigation, The Guardian reported that contractors grading Siri’s performance sometimes heard sensitive recordings, including medical information, drug deals and couples having sex. Those descriptions came from the newspaper’s sources, including former graders; they are not a measured estimate of how often such material appeared.
The graders’ work was to assess whether a Siri activation was deliberate or accidental, whether Siri could help with the request and whether its response was appropriate. That review could expose workers to audio captured when a user had not intended to address Siri. The available reporting does not establish a reliable population-wide rate for accidental activations or sensitive recordings.
How Apple responded in 2019
On August 2, 2019, The Guardian reported that Apple had suspended contractor listening after its initial story. On August 28, Apple acknowledged customer concern about people listening to Siri audio during quality evaluation, which it called “grading.” Apple said it had suspended human grading, reviewed its practices and would make changes. The Guardian reported the apology and program changes the following day.
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- MAGICAL EXPERIENCE — Just say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” to play a song, make a call, or check your schedule.* And with Siri Interactions, now you can respond to Siri by simply nodding your head yes or shaking your head no.* Pair AirPods 4 by simply placing them near your device and tapping Connect on your screen.* Easily share a song or show between two sets of AirPods.* An optical in-ear sensor knows to play audio only when you’re wearing AirPods and pauses when you take them off. And you can track down your AirPods and Charging Case with the Find My app.*
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Apple’s announced changes were that customers would have to opt in to share audio samples for Siri improvement and that only Apple employees would listen to audio when a customer opted in. The 2019 sequence matters: the contractor arrangement described by The Guardian was a historical practice, not evidence of Apple’s current reviewer arrangements.
What Apple says about Siri audio today
Apple’s current Siri and Dictation privacy information says audio is not retained by default. Users may opt in to let Apple store and review audio and interaction history to help improve Siri and foundation models; users can opt out. Apple says audio samples use a random identifier rather than an Apple Account. Its support information says that when a user opts in, Apple employees review audio recordings, not contractors.
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Apple’s 2025 statement also says Siri audio is not retained unless users explicitly opt in, and describes on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute. These are Apple’s published descriptions of its policy and systems; they are not independent verification that implementation matches the policy in every case.
Audio is not the same as transcripts and request history
Turning off audio sharing does not mean Apple says it keeps no Siri-related data. Apple’s legal privacy notice distinguishes audio from transcripts and related request data: it says audio is not stored unless the user opts in, while transcripts and related data may be retained. Apple says request history can be kept for up to two years, and a small subset reviewed for improvement may be kept longer than two years.
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- MAGICAL EXPERIENCE — Just say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” to play a song, make a call, or check your schedule.* And with Siri Interactions, now you can respond to Siri by simply nodding your head yes or shaking your head no.* Pair AirPods 4 by simply placing them near your device and tapping Connect on your screen.* Easily share a song or show between two sets of AirPods.* An optical in-ear sensor knows to play audio only when you’re wearing AirPods and pauses when you take them off. And you can track down your AirPods and Charging Case with the Find My app.*
Apple’s feature page says users can delete requests associated with the random identifier. However, requests older than six months and the small sample already reviewed may no longer be associated with that identifier and may not be deletable through that control. Deletion therefore has limits; it should not be read as a guarantee that every record or reviewed sample is erased.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to turn off Siri audio review and delete history
Apple’s device-level controls are the practical way to check or change your choice. The exact labels can vary by operating-system version, but Apple’s published instructions describe the privacy control as Improve Siri & Dictation.
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- Easy setup for all your Apple devices
- Quick access to Siri by saying “Hey Siri”
- Double-tap to play or skip forward
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- Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap Privacy & Security, then Analytics & Improvements.
- Turn off Improve Siri & Dictation to stop opting in to sharing audio for improvement. If the switch is already off, audio sharing is not enabled through this setting.
- To delete Siri history, return to Settings, tap Siri (or Apple Intelligence & Siri on some versions), then choose Siri & Dictation History and tap Delete Siri & Dictation History, if that option appears on your version.
Apple’s support instructions explain the controls and their scope. Deleting history through a device control does not override the retention exceptions Apple describes for older requests or samples already reviewed.
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Historical and current policies at a glance
| Issue | 2019 reporting and response | Apple’s current published position |
|---|---|---|
| Consent to audio review | The Guardian reported contractors graded Siri audio; Apple later announced opt-in sharing for audio used to improve Siri. | Apple says audio is not retained by default and review for improvement requires opt-in. |
| Who listens | The Guardian’s 2019 report described contractors; Apple said after its pause that only employees would listen to audio from customers who opted in. | Apple says only employees review audio recordings when users opt in; this is Apple’s policy description, not an independent audit. |
| Data retained | The reporting focused on audio recordings heard during grading. | Apple distinguishes audio from transcripts and related request data, which may still be retained. |
| Identifier and deletion | The 2019 reporting does not establish a comparable current deletion model. | Apple says samples use a random identifier rather than an Apple Account and describes deletion controls with limits for older and already reviewed requests. |
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