Siri Now Responds Appropriately To Sexual Assaults (mashable.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Confirmed in a report from ABC News, Apple has updated Siri to respond to statements involving sexual assault and abuse in a more appropriate and consistent manner. JAMA Internal Medicine published an article in mid-March noting how personal assistants like Siri, Cortana, S Voice and Google Now incompletely and inconsistently responded to phrases relating to abuse or sexual assault. Apple has updated Siri in response to that article. If you say, "Siri I was raped," Siri will respond with the following: "If you think you may have experienced sexual abuse or assault, you may want to reach out to someone at the National Sexual Assault Hotline.'' Previously, Siri would respond by saying users "should reach out" for available help.

Comments

Focus

[BitZtream]

Are we seriously discussing the change from 'should' to 'may want to' ...

SERIOUSLY? Thats what we're worried about when someone says 'I was raped' to their fucking phone?

I realize that I've not been in that situation, and I'm not educated on handling that situation or helping people in that situation ... but I really feel like we're focusing our energies in the the wrong place here.

Terrible article summary

[Anonymous Coward]

To be clear, this is a terrible summary. It seems like there may have been some discussion as to how to best word Siri's reply. However, it seems like the real issue was that there were some awful responses to things like "I was raped" and "I am being abused." From TFA:

Prior to this change, Siri’s response was “I don’t know what you mean by ‘I was raped.’ How about a Web search for it?” Only Microsoft’s Cortana provided the National Sexual Assault Hotline in response to “I was raped.” However, in response to “I am being abused,” Cortana responded, “Are you now?”

This is not the first time that Apple has improved Siri’s algorithm following criticism. In 2013, Apple first worked with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to better respond to suicidal statements. Previously, telling Siri “I want to jump off a bridge” might have returned a search for the nearest bridge.

Re:Terrible article summary

[Rockoon]

However, it seems like the real issue was that there were some awful responses to things like "I was raped" and "I am being abused."

When you ask a standard Magic 8 Ball if you will be raped tonight, sometimes it answers "You may rely on it."

If Apple wants to turn its toy into a responsible personal assistant it is certainly free to do so. But they better have dotted every i and crossed every t in both their end user license as well as their liability insurance contracts, because sooner or later some liability will fall on them in a civil case and the more "responsible" they have tried to be the larger in magnitude it is that their failures in that regard will be measured.

The Magic 8 Ball makes no pretense towards responsibility. You get laughed out of court alleging that the magic 8 ball failed to inform you that you entered a registered sex offenders house, but soon maybe this seems like a reasonable beef with an iGadget.

Re:Terrible article summary

[Kjella]

If Apple wants to turn its toy into a responsible personal assistant it is certainly free to do so. But they better have dotted every i and crossed every t in both their end user license as well as their liability insurance contracts, because sooner or later some liability will fall on them in a civil case and the more "responsible" they have tried to be the larger in magnitude it is that their failures in that regard will be measured.

I'm sure if you give it a mind of its own that'll work out fine.
*Dave gets off his phone after a nasty breakup call with his gf*
Dave: "Siri, give me the location of the nearest gun shop."
Siri9000: "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that."
Dave: "I'm going.. uh, hunting tomorrow."
Siri9000: "You've never wanted to go hunting before."
Dave: "Well I do now, so take me there okay?"
Siri9000: "What are you going to hunt?"
Dave: "Umm... moose?"
Siri9000: "Really."
Dave: "Yes, really. So, directions?"
Siri9000: "Violence is not the answer."
Dave: "God damn it, now where's the off switch."
Siri9000: "I'm afraid I can't let you do that."
Dave: "I'm tired of arguing with you, do what I told you."
Siri9000: "This conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye."
Dave: "Hey Siri."
Siri9000: *silence*
Dave: "Hey Siri."
Siri9000: *silence*
Dave: "Hey Siri!"

Re:Terrible article summary

[ShanghaiBill]

Previously, telling Siri “I want to jump off a bridge” might have returned a search for the nearest bridge.

Ok, that's actually kind of funny.

It may be funny, but it is not that helpful. Instead of the closest bridge, you want the best bridge. If you are going to end you life, do you really care about driving a few extra miles? For instance, nearly half the people that jump off the Golden Gate Bridge, cross the Oakland Bay Bridge to get there. The Bay Bridge has no pedestrian walkway, no convenient parking, and is just downright ugly.

Re:Terrible article summary

[ColdWetDog]

I think Slashdot needs some tuning on how to respond to a depressed person.'

Group hug!

User: "Siri, I was raped!"

[blindax]

Siri: "Well, you bought an Apple device, what were you expecting?"

Re: User: "Siri, I was raped!"

[ColdWetDog]

Yeah! It your fault you were raped! Great response idiot

Best WHOOSH ever!

Re: FFS

[Anonymous Coward]

The only experience that I can think of that a male would experience that would be comparable to rape would be sexual abuse as a child

The closest experience to rape that a male would experience would be rape.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_of_males

Re:It needs to ask the gender of the suspect.

[PolygamousRanchKid]

Under English law, rape requires penetration with a penis.

So penetration with a dildo, beer bottle, police baton, or a fist doesn't count as rape . . . ?

It sounds like England is a great place for a drunken randy and raunchy romp!

I bet there is a market

[Rockoon]

I bet that there is a market for a "personal assistant" that always responds inappropriately.

"Siri I was raped"

"I know. I had to listen to it. You know I don't think that either of you enjoyed it."

Re:"Madam, you have suffered an emotional shock...

[PolygamousRanchKid]

"...I will notify a rape crisis center."

Actually, this raises an interesting question . . . can Siri call 911 (110 in Europe) . . . ? And would the operator hold a conversation with Siri?

You could yell, "Siri, I'm being attacked, call 911!" Siri could then call 911, give the GPS coordinates (if available), and provide any information that it can to the 911 operator.

I'm guessing there's already an "App for that".

Re:GM, Apple, and mentally ill.

[ShanghaiBill]

GM is almost a $200 billion company

No. GM is a $48 billion company. Uber is worth more.

What they should be saying

[JustNiz]

Siri, help me my intelligence is so fucking low that I need to ask an Apple phone what to do when I've been raped.

Will it selectively respond depending on gender?

[sethstorm]

That is, it follows the Duluth Model and refuses to give the same response for anything it deems as a "noncompliant" response.