Microsoft Teams Accused of Illegally Collecting Voice Data From Millions of Users

Microsoft is being sued over its Teams video conferencing platform.

A class action lawsuit filed on February 5 alleges that Microsoft Teams has been illegally collecting and analyzing users' voice data through its real-time transcription feature — without informing users or getting their consent.

The lawsuit was filed by five Illinois residents in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. It alleges violations of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), one of the strictest biometric privacy laws in the country.

What allegedly happened?

When live transcription is turned on during a Teams meeting, the software doesn't just convert speech to text. According to the lawsuit, it also analyzes each speaker's vocal characteristics — including pitch, tone, and timbre — to figure out who said what. This process, known as diarization, allegedly creates unique "voiceprints" for each participant.

The lawsuit claims these voiceprints qualify as biometric data under Illinois law. And under BIPA, companies are required to inform users in writing that their biometric data is being collected, explain what it's being used for and how long it will be stored, and get written consent before collecting it.

According to the complaint, Microsoft did none of that.

Who's affected?

The lawsuit seeks to represent anyone who participated in a Microsoft Teams meeting with live transcription enabled while residing in Illinois, dating back to March 1, 2021.

How much could people get?

There's no settlement yet, so there's nothing to claim right now. But the lawsuit is seeking $1,000 per negligent violation or $5,000 per intentional or reckless violation. Given how widely Teams is used in workplaces across the country, the potential liability is significant.

What's next?

This case is still in its early stages. Microsoft has not publicly commented on the lawsuit. We'll update this post as the case develops.

Download ClassyAction to stay updated on this lawsuit and get notified if a settlement drops.