How Secure is Speech-to-Text Software and How to Protect your Data?

Simply put, you end up spending more money, risking your data, and wasting lots of your precious time and peace of mind in the hope of saving it using software transcription. The only way you can hope to achieve all of that, and ensure your data is protected, is by taking data security and confidentiality seriously in the first place. 

Machine In, Human Out – Does it Hold for Secure Transcription Services?

Astonishingly, experts from the legal and market research industry believe sidelining humans removes the threat to their data security. Sidelining humans from the transcription process feeds on the notion that Speech-to-Text software, when used to convert audio into text, downsizes the role of humans. With humans out, there remains no one to eavesdrop on your details or pass on your information to third-party sites without your consent or without you having the least idea that such is the case.

Two Things That Burst Machine In Human Out Bubble

Non-Disclosure Agreement

One is that human transcribers are bound by law to ensure data protection. All transcribers at Transcribe Lingo are signatories to a strict “Non-Disclosure Agreement”. And when it comes to software transcription, you are dealing with coded software, and neither software nor engineers who operate it are bound to protect your data.

Data Mining

The second is data mining for which speech-to-text software is a potential target, according to Forbes. Some agencies target businesses in hopes of laying their hands on sensitive company data for information gathering. Since they know companies may use software for transcribing sensitive recordings, such online tools become their pet targets. Here, they have all the information transcribed into text, hence easier to mine.

Based on the information available in the public domain, undoubtedly for Speech-to-Text Software, Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) software is not as secure as some in the legal and market research industry choose to believe. Simply put, the ASR software doesn’t guarantee a secure and encrypted transcription.

Accuracy of AI Speech Recognition Transcription  

Then there’s the accuracy of transcription which many tend to ignore when using AI speech recognition transcription, which becomes a headache later in the process, especially in sensitive fields like legal and market research. Advances made in speech recognition technology are tangible and available for everyone to see. However, its accuracy is still below the standard human transcription accuracy of 99%, which, in other words, means the chance of errors is over 1% or more than 15 per 1500 words. Now you need to ask if you can afford that many errors. If yes then at what cost?

How to Protect your Data When Using a Transcription Service?

If you still want to go with software-led transcription and see it fundamentally align with your goals, we can still help you out. Whenever you use a transcription service just make sure that you pay attention to the following checklist (to protect your data).

• • • ISO Accreditations

• • • Data Encryption Systems

• • • NDAs Enforcement Policies 

• • • Data Protection & GDPR Compliance

In the blog, 4 Key Benefits of Using UK-Based Transcription Company, we talk about all four points in great detail, you can read it to refresh your knowledge and make your process more secure. For your convenience, we can summarily explain a few things here as well about all the four points mentioned above.

ISO Accreditations

ISO accreditations ensure two things: one, standard procedures recognised internationally are followed; two, peace of mind, which is the direct outcome of the first one. Regardless of human-powered or software-mediated transcription, when partnering with an LSP or language service provider, see to it that it has ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certifications. You can expect from such vendors professional project management and robust information security.

Encrypted Data Transfer and Storage

Data encryption is vital to ensure legal and market research firms can securely transfer and store client recordings via secure and encrypted channels. And one of the basic components of encrypted data systems is an HTTPS URL. Stay away from vendors that use HTTP URLs if you’re serious about securing your data and personal information. Look in the address bar for the ‘connection is secure’ message before logging in to the portal for data sharing. Websites with SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certification, you should know, are fully encrypted and you can worry-free login to these portals and are meant to ensure secure transfer of data. 

Non Disclosure Agreements

Vendors are mandated to sign NDAs with their clients. Human-transcription companies like Transcribe Lingo willingly sign Non-Disclosure Agreements with legal and market research firms and ensure strict compliance with the agreement signed. What an NDA does is that it bars transcribers from sharing the recordings or discussing its contents with any third-party not part of the agreement. So make sure to work with only that transcription agency that will sign a ‘Non-Disclosure Agreement’ and willingly reveals their confidentiality policies.

Data Protection and GDPR

Compliance with GDPR law (and the UK version of the General Data Protection Regulation) and the Data Protection Act 2018 is vital to ensure data security and that your personal information is protected and that any breach of data holds the agency responsible before the law. If the vendor you choose to work with is GDPR compliant you can share sensitive information without having to worry about its protection. All vendors are required by law to ensure the safe transfer, storage, and disposal of their client data, so it’s your right to work with only GDPR-compliant agencies.

Transcribe Lingo abides by GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 besides using encrypted data sharing systems for the transfer and storage of recordings. Want to know more about how we protect your data and provide secure transcription services? Send us your questions, queries or requests for a FREE QUOTE at hello@transcribelingo.com or call us directly on the following numbers: UK: +44 121 295 8707; USA: +1 213 669 6381.