Voice technology firm under fire 声讯科技企业面临质疑
文章来源:未知 文章作者:meng 发布时间:2009-07-24 02:55 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

A UK firm that turns mobile messages into text faces questions over its privacy standards, technology and finances following a BBC investigation1.

一项BBC调查显示,一家将语音短信转换成文字信息的英国企业面临隐私标准、科技和财政等一系列的质疑。

Spinvox has spoken several times to the BBC about its technology
Spinvox has spoken several times to the BBC about its technology

Spinvox's service aims to convert voice messages into text messages using advanced speech recognition software.

But claims to the BBC suggest that the majority of messages have been heard and transcribed3(抄写,译写) by call centre staff in South Africa and the Philippines.

The firm issued a statement calling the claims "incorrect" and "inaccurate4".

"Speech algorithms(算法式) do not learn without human intervention5(人工干预) and all speech systems require humans for learning - Spinvox does this in real-time," the firm said in a statement.

"The actual proportion of messages automatically converted is highly confidential6 and sensitive data," it added.

The Spinvox website claims its technology "captures spoken words and feeds them into a Voice Message Conversion7 System, known as 'D2' (the Brain)".

The company said that, when necessary, parts of messages can be sent to a "conversion expert".

The part sent is anonymised so that there is no way of tracking back a particular number or person. It will be just one of millions of messages going through the automated8 system on a particular day, the company said.

A Facebook group created by staff at an Egyptian call centre, which used to work for Spinvox, includes a picture of one transcribed message containing what appears to be sensitive commercial information.

It also includes an audio recording9 of one call, and pictures of staff at the call centre.

Spinvox said that the pictures relate to a training session, and that the call centre did not meet its stringent10(迫切的,严厉的) standards and never handled live calls.

Data protection

However, the BBC has spoken to Kareem Lucilius, who said he worked for six months at the call centre, alongside as many as 150 others.

He said that after initial training, he went on to transcribe2 live messages. Asked what part machines played he said, "It was done 100% by people".

He described the work: "We heard the message from the very beginning to the very end. Love messages, secret messages, messages with sexual content, even people threatening to kill each other."

Other call centre staff in South Africa and the Philippines have discussed on blogs how they have also transcribed calls for Spinvox.

A source at the company has told the BBC that the vast majority of messages are in fact converted into text by staff at call centres.

The fact that messages appear to have been read by workers outside of the European Union raises questions about the firm's data protection policy.

The firm's entry on the UK Data Protection Register says it does not transfer anything outside the European Economic Area.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) told the BBC that it has contacted Spinvox "to ensure that its entry on the data protection register is both accurate and complete, especially with regards to the transfer of personal data outside the European Economic Area".

In a statement, the ICO explained there was nothing to prevent Spinvox from using people rather than machines to translate messages.

However, it said that "it may be helpful if the company is clearer about the likelihood that people will be used to translate messages".

"This is particularly important if customers are using the service for transmitting sensitive or secure information," it added.

The firm issued a statement via its blog on Thursday saying that the allegations of call centres handling a majority of calls were "incorrect".

"We have always been absolutely clear in our communications that humans form an important component11 of our learning system," it said.

It added that the human-mediated training of its system was accomplished12 "in total security through anonymisation, encryption(加密术) and randomisation(形成不规则分布)".

'Cost-cutting measures'

Spinvox, which has raised more than $200m (£120m) from investors13, was founded in 2004.

The company source told the BBC that operating large numbers of call centres is putting a huge financial burden on the business.

Last week the company's co-founder Christina Domecq appealed to staff to take all or part of their pay for the months of July and August in the form of share options.

In an e-mail to staff she explained that the target was to raise £1m to see the company through to profitable status.

But she warned that "should we not achieve the uptake(摄取,领会) we need, unfortunately, we may have to explore further cost-cutting measures".

Daniel Doulton, the firm's other co-founder, told the BBC that it was true that the company had suffered some growing pains because of the exponential growth(指数增长) it was enjoying - bringing it 100 million customers around the world.

"The business now operates profitably," he said. "We are going through enormous growth as a business."

The BBC has also learned that Spinvox has been locked out of one of its London data centres, leaving it unable to get access to its servers after a dispute about payments.

A spokesman at ANLX, the company which runs the data centre, said "their access has been suspended. We are reviewing our options on a day-to-day basis."

Spinvox said it cannot comment on the dispute, but said its main data storage locations are not affected14.

The company says it works with some of the world's biggest telecoms companies and institutional investors who, following due diligence(尽职调查) and audit15(审计), have gone on to sign contracts with the voice-to-text firm.



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 investigation MRKzq     
n.调查,调查研究
参考例句:
  • In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
  • He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
2 transcribe tntwJ     
v.抄写,誉写;改编(乐曲);复制,转录
参考例句:
  • We need volunteers to transcribe this manuscript.我们需要自愿者来抄写这个文稿。
  • I am able to take dictation in English and transcribe them rapidly into Chinese.我会英文记录,还能立即将其改写成中文。
3 transcribed 2f9e3c34adbe5528ff14427d7ed17557     
(用不同的录音手段)转录( transcribe的过去式和过去分词 ); 改编(乐曲)(以适应他种乐器或声部); 抄写; 用音标标出(声音)
参考例句:
  • He transcribed two paragraphs from the book into his notebook. 他把书中的两段抄在笔记本上。
  • Every telephone conversation will be recorded and transcribed. 所有电话交谈都将被录音并作全文转写。
4 inaccurate D9qx7     
adj.错误的,不正确的,不准确的
参考例句:
  • The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确,而且夸大其词。
  • She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。
5 intervention e5sxZ     
n.介入,干涉,干预
参考例句:
  • The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
  • Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。
6 confidential MOKzA     
adj.秘(机)密的,表示信任的,担任机密工作的
参考例句:
  • He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
  • We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。
7 conversion UZPyI     
n.转化,转换,转变
参考例句:
  • He underwent quite a conversion.他彻底变了。
  • Waste conversion is a part of the production process.废物处理是生产过程的一个组成部分。
8 automated fybzf9     
a.自动化的
参考例句:
  • The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
  • Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS),作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。
9 recording UktzJj     
n.录音,记录
参考例句:
  • How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间?
  • I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
10 stringent gq4yz     
adj.严厉的;令人信服的;银根紧的
参考例句:
  • Financiers are calling for a relaxation of these stringent measures.金融家呼吁对这些严厉的措施予以放宽。
  • Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.合同中有几项条件太苛刻。
11 component epSzv     
n.组成部分,成分,元件;adj.组成的,合成的
参考例句:
  • Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
  • Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。
12 accomplished UzwztZ     
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的
参考例句:
  • Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
  • Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。
13 investors dffc64354445b947454450e472276b99     
n.投资者,出资者( investor的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
  • a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会
14 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
15 audit wuGzw     
v.审计;查帐;核对;旁听
参考例句:
  • Each year they audit our accounts and certify them as being true and fair.他们每年对我们进行账务审核,以确保其真实无误。
  • As usual,the yearly audit will take place in December.跟往常一样,年度审计将在十二月份进行。
TAG标签: voice text message privacy
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