IBM Thinks Siri Is Spying, Bans It

IBM has banned employees from using Siri on its network, because it doesn't trust the iPhone digital assistant. On Monday, IBM's CIO told the MIT Technology Review that though employees are free to use their personal iPhone at work, it was having problems with apps posing security risks. She said Siri in particular was off-limits because they're "worried that the spoken queries might be stored somewhere."

It's a valid concern. Peer into the iPhone's licensing agreement, and it specifically states that Siri queries are "recorded and sent to Apple" so they can be converted into text, Wired reports. Moreover, the agreement states that by using Siri you consent to Apple's "use of this information" to improve Apple products and services. Apple hasn't specified what that "use" might entail, or how long Siri queries might be stored. (More IBM stories.)