Apple Inc. has agreed to a $95 million settlement to resolve allegations that its Siri voice assistant recorded and shared users’ private conversations without their consent.
The settlement, filed in a federal court in Oakland, California, is still subject to approval by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White.
The lawsuit, which dates back several years, accused Apple of allowing Siri to unintentionally activate and record private conversations when users did not deliberately trigger the assistant.
Plaintiffs claimed these recordings were sometimes shared with third parties, including advertisers. Apple has denied any wrongdoing but has chosen to settle the case.
Users alleged that Siri’s “Hey, Siri” feature, introduced in September 2014, often activated accidentally, capturing personal conversations. In some instances, this reportedly led to targeted advertisements.
For example, two plaintiffs said discussions about products like Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants prompted ads for those items, raising issues about data privacy.
The class action lawsuit covers a period from 2014 to the end of 2024 and involves tens of millions of potential claimants. Eligible Apple device owners could receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, including iPhones and Apple Watches. Claims are capped at five devices per individual.
As part of the agreement, Apple will delete any unauthorised Siri recordings made before October 2019 within six months of the settlement’s effective date. The company will also update its user guidance on Siri’s data collection practices to provide clearer information.
The plaintiffs’ legal team is expected to request up to $28.5 million in legal fees and an additional $1.1 million for expenses from the settlement fund.
Beyond Apple, Google is also facing a similar lawsuit involving its voice assistant, which is being handled in the same federal district.
Apple has not issued any public statements about the settlement. The lawsuit, Lopez et al v. Apple Inc., reveals the growing demand for transparency and accountability in how tech companies handle consumer data.
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