A proposed class action filed February 5 alleges Microsoft Teams collected and stored biometric voiceprints tied to transcription features without required disclosures or consent under Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act.
The complaint alleges the collaboration platform violated BIPA’s provisions requiring companies to inform individuals in writing before collecting biometric identifiers, obtain written consent, and establish publicly available data retention and destruction policies for biometric information.
The case follows earlier biometric data collection concerns in educational settings where Teams voice and face enrollment was activated without authorization in New South Wales schools.
The lawsuit joins other enterprise platforms facing voiceprint collection under BIPA scrutiny, including Verizon’s Voice ID feature, which faces parallel litigation in the same jurisdiction. Voice biometric BIPA voiceprint cases facing judicial scrutiny have produced mixed outcomes, as seen in AWS litigation where a judge questioned the frivolity of certain claims.
The case extends biometric privacy exposure into enterprise collaboration and AI meeting workflows, where transcription and voice-to-text features are increasingly central to productivity tools used across business environments.
BIPA, enacted in 2008, allows individuals to sue for statutory damages of $1,000 per negligent violation or $5,000 per intentional or reckless violation. The statute has generated significant litigation against technology companies operating in Illinois, with major tech companies settling BIPA cases including Google’s $8.75 million settlement over education platform data.
The complaint focuses on voiceprint collection and retention practices associated with transcription functionality. The case is pending in Illinois state court, and Microsoft has not publicly responded to the allegations as of the filing date.
Sources: ClassAction.org, Filed Complaint (PDF)
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
