About Dictation and Privacy

About Dictation and Privacy When you use Dictation, you can choose to have either your Mac or Apple's servers perform the speech recognition for you. If you use Enhanced Dictation, your Mac will convert what you say into text without sending your dictated speech to Apple. If you use server-based Dictation, the things you dictate will be recorded and sent to Apple to convert what you say into text and your computer will also send Apple other information, such as your name and nickname; and the names, nicknames, and relationship with you (for example, "my dad") of your address book contacts (collectively, your "User Data"). All of this data is used to help the dictation feature understand you better and recognize what you say. It is not linked to other data that Apple may have from your use of other Apple services. You can choose to turn off or change your preferences for Dictation at any time by going to the Dictation tab in the Keyboard preference pane found within System Preferences. If you turn off both Sin and Dictation, or switch from using server-based Dictation to Enhanced Dictation, Apple will delete your User Data, as well as your recent voice input data, from Apple's servers. Older voice input data that has been disassociated from you may be retained for a period of time to generally improve Dictation, Siri and dictation functionality in Apple products and services. This voice input data may include audio files and transcripts of what you said and related diagnostic data, such as hardware and operating system specifications and performance statistics. You can restrict access to the Dictation feature on your computer in the Parental Controls pane of System Preferences. By using Dictation, you agree and consent to Apple's and its subsidiaries' and agents' transmission, collection, maintenance, processing, and use of this information, including your voice input and User Data, to provide and improve Dictation, Sid and dictation functionality in other Apple products and services. At all times, information collected by Apple will be treated in accordance with Apple's Privacy Policy, which can be found at EFTA00289184