Microsoft contractors have reportedly listened to intimate Skype conversations

Microsoft.
(Image credit: Peter Summers/Getty Images)

If you've ever had Skype conversations using the service's translator, there's a chance parts of it were listened to by Microsoft contractors, a new report from Motherboard suggests.

The report cites "internal documents, screenshots, and audio recordings" that show Microsoft contractors sometimes listen into private Skype conversations that use the translation service in order to improve the feature, with some of the audio Motherboard reviewed including "conversations from people talking intimately to loved ones, some chatting about personal issues such as their weight loss, and others seemingly discussing relationship problems." The clips the outlet looked at were usually between five and 10 seconds long, but they can be longer, the report says.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.