French authorities have launched a criminal investigation against Apple Inc, following claims it violated users’ privacy by storing voice recordings made by Siri without their consent. The probe follows a complaint filed in France earlier this year based on testimony by whistleblower Thomas Le Bonniec, a former Apple subcontractor in Ireland tasked with listening to thousands of users’ conversations with Siri, which revealed personal, intimate, and identifiable information shared with the voice assistant, including from cancer patients. An Apple spokesperson declined to comment beyond referring to a January blog post, in which the company stated it “does not retain audio recordings of Siri interactions unless users explicitly opt in, and even then, the recordings are used solely for that purpose.” The probe continues France’s assertive stance toward U.S. tech giants, which has seen the government launch antitrust investigations and implement a digital services tax. President Donald Trump has called such measures discriminatory and has threatened to impose tariffs on France if they are not rescinded.
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