A new class action lawsuit alleges that Microsoft illegally harvested and analyzed users’ voice data through its Teams platform — without providing the disclosures required under Illinois law — setting the stage for a high-stakes legal battle over biometric privacy.

Filed Feb. 5 in federal court in Washington state, the Microsoft Teams voice collection suit accuses Microsoft Corp. of violating the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, commonly known as BIPA. The plaintiffs — Alex Basich, Kristin Bondlow and three others — claim the software giant captured and processed their voiceprints without informed consent.

Real-Time Transcription at the Center of Dispute

At the heart of the complaint is Microsoft Teams’ real-time transcription feature, introduced in 2021. The tool converts spoken words into text during virtual meetings. But according to the lawsuit, it does more than simply transcribe speech.

The feature relies on a process known as diarization, which distinguishes speakers by analyzing unique vocal traits — such as pitch, tone and timbre — and builds individual speaker profiles in the form of voiceprints. Those biometric identifiers allow the software to label who said what in a meeting.

Collecting voice data itself is not inherently unlawful. The issue, the plaintiffs argue, lies in what they describe as Microsoft’s failure to provide proper notice or obtain written consent from Illinois users before collecting and storing biometric information.

“Microsoft never informed Teams meeting participants that their biometrics, such as voiceprints, were being collected,” the complaint states. It further alleges the company did not disclose the purpose of the collection, the duration of storage, or a schedule for eventual destruction of the data.

Illinois Biometric Law Sets Strict Standards

Under BIPA, companies must notify individuals in writing before capturing biometric identifiers like voiceprints. The law also requires disclosure of how long such data will be retained and mandates a written release from the individual authorizing collection.

The plaintiffs contend Microsoft bypassed those safeguards when it rolled out automated transcription capabilities. They seek to represent a class of Teams users whose biometric information was captured while they were residing in Illinois, dating back to March 1, 2021.

The lawsuit demands either actual damages or $1,000 for each negligent violation — whichever is greater. If the court determines the alleged violations were intentional or reckless, statutory damages could rise to $5,000 per violation.

Broader Legal Pressures Mount

The Microsoft Teams voice collection suit arrives as Microsoft and its close partner OpenAI face separate legal challenges. The companies are currently defendants in consolidated federal multidistrict litigation alleging that copyrighted works, including journalists’ content, were used to train the artificial intelligence system ChatGPT without authorization.

Together, the cases underscore intensifying scrutiny of how major technology firms collect, analyze and deploy data — whether typed, spoken or written. As voice becomes code and meetings become metadata, the courtroom may become the next battleground over the limits of digital consent.