French prosecutors have opened a cybercrime investigation into Apple Inc. over allegations that its Siri voice assistant illegally collected and reviewed user recordings without proper consent, a potential breach of Europe’s strict privacy laws.
The probe, confirmed on Monday by the Paris prosecutor’s office, stems from a complaint filed by a technology researcher who accused the company of violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) through unauthorized processing of audio data.
Investigators are examining Apple’s methods for capturing and analyzing Siri voice interactions, which the company has said are used to improve accuracy and user experience. However, critics claim that Apple’s “quality improvement” program involved human reviewers listening to fragments of user conversations, raising questions about transparency and consent.
According to local media, the complaint alleges that Apple failed to adequately inform users that their voice data might be accessed by third parties, even when recordings were anonymized. French prosecutors are treating the case as a potential cybercrime, which could carry heavier penalties than administrative GDPR breaches, including possible criminal liability for unauthorized data collection or privacy violations.
This marks an escalation of European scrutiny over Apple’s data-handling practices, following a series of regulatory actions against major tech firms. Apple previously faced criticism in 2019 for similar Siri-related incidents, and last year it agreed to a $95 million settlement in the United States over claims that Siri had inadvertently recorded private conversations.
“Voice assistants depend on vast datasets to train their AI models, but European privacy law requires explicit, informed consent and strict limits on data retention,” said one Paris-based privacy analyst. “If prosecutors find evidence of systemic violations, Apple could be forced to reengineer how Siri operates in Europe.”
The outcome of the French probe could have far-reaching implications for Apple’s broader AI and voice technology roadmap, including upcoming integrations under its Apple Intelligence initiative and new features expected in the iPhone 17 lineup.
In response, Apple said it is cooperating with French authorities and reiterated its “unwavering commitment to user privacy.” The company emphasized that Siri recordings are processed using end-to-end encryption, and users can choose to opt out of data-sharing programs.
The investigation adds to mounting regulatory pressure on Big Tech in Europe, where Apple is already contending with new obligations under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) and ongoing antitrust scrutiny.
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