Facebook Records User Audio, Sparking Privacy Questions

After reports emerged, Facebook admitted that it was transcribing audio chats between its users on its Messenger platform. While Facebook confirmed that it had been transcribing users’ audio, it maintains that affected users chose to have their voice chats transcribed. In answering questions related to a Congressional probe last year, the company said that it “only accesses users’ microphone if the user has given our app permission and if they are actively using a specific feature that requires audio (like voice messaging features).” It also said that it is halting the program – which is meant to train its algorithm to be more accurate – to review the privacy implications.