Microsoft records your voice when you use speech-to-text or voice command features and may use those recordings to improve its speech recognition technology, with the ability to opt out of this optional collection.
Consumers using Windows Cortana, dictation, or any Microsoft voice feature should be aware that their voice data may be stored and used to improve Microsoft's speech recognition systems unless they disable this optional data collection in privacy settings.
Cross-platform context
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Compare across platforms →Voice recordings are sensitive biometric-adjacent data that can reveal health conditions, personal relationships, and location; their use for product improvement beyond the original service purpose raises significant privacy concerns.
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision implicates GDPR Art. 9 (special category data — voice data may qualify as biometric data under Art. 4(14) if used to uniquely identify individuals), Art. 6(1)(a) (consent as lawful basis for processing beyond service provision), and Art. 5(1)(b) (purpose limitation); Washington My Health Data Act (voice data may constitute consumer health data in some contexts); Illinois BIPA (740 ILCS 14) where voice data constitutes a biometric identifier; and FTC Act Section 5 for deceptive practices. Enforcement by EU DPAs, Washington AG, Illinois AG, and FTC.
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