Apple APOLOGIZES for Siri listening practices and says program will only apply to those who opt-in

Apple said it is now, by default, opting customers out of a program that listens to audio snippets scraped up by its voice-assistant, Siri. The company announced the decision in a blog post this week and marks the most significant step since it decided to suspend the program earlier this summer. Apple has been identified as one of many companies that was harvesting audio snippets from users in an effort to improve the accuracy of its voice-assistant. Unbeknownst to most, those snippets were then reviewed by human contractors. 'As a result of our review, we realize we haven't been fully living up to our high ideals, and for that we apologize,' wrote Apple. According to the company, it will will resume its program later this fall with several major changes.