French Prosecutors Open Investigation into Apple’s Siri Over Alleged Data Collection
French prosecutors have launched an investigation into Apple’s voice assistant, Siri, following a complaint that accuses the company of unlawfully collecting and analysing user data. The probe, first reported by Politico, has been assigned to France’s specialised cybercrime unit, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on Monday.
Complaint Alleges Unauthorised Voice Data Harvesting
The investigation stems from a complaint filed by the French human rights organisation Ligue des Droits de l’Homme (LDH) and tech researcher Thomas Le Bonniec, who previously worked on Apple’s Siri quality control programme. Le Bonniec told Reuters he was the source of the complaint, which accuses Apple of recording and analysing user conversations without explicit consent.
“The opening of a criminal investigation sends a clear message: fundamental rights matter, and there are organisations and people determined to uphold them,” Le Bonniec said.
LDH previously alleged that Apple’s handling of Siri data violated users’ privacy by collecting voice interactions without proper authorisation. The organisation did not immediately respond to new requests for comment.
Apple Cites Strengthened Privacy Measures
Apple told Reuters that it had strengthened Siri’s privacy protections in 2019 and again in 2025. The company reiterated that Siri recordings are never shared with marketers or sold to advertisers. In a January statement on its website, Apple said that user conversations with Siri “are not linked to Apple IDs” and can be reviewed only with explicit permission.
Growing Scrutiny Over Voice Assistants
The investigation highlights growing global concerns over how tech companies handle audio data collected through digital assistants. Voice-controlled devices rely on constant listening functions to detect wake words, but critics say this capability risks capturing private conversations inadvertently.
If the French probe finds evidence of unauthorised data collection, it could add to the mounting regulatory pressure on Big Tech firms operating in Europe, where data protection laws are among the world’s strictest under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The investigation remains in its early stages, with prosecutors yet to determine whether formal charges will follow.
with inputs from Reuters