Thousands of Apple consumers may soon benefit from the deal as the giant tech firm finally agrees to settle at $95 million over allegations it eavesdrops on Siri customers.
Background:
The settlement motion was filed Dec. 13, 2024, in federal court in Oakland, California, a Reuters report cited.
The lawsuit claims that Apple violated user privacy by recording Siri interactions without intent when the voice assistant was accidentally triggered. The recordings were shared with advertisers, the lawsuit alleged.
Controversy over this issue dates back to 2019, when The Guardian reported that Apple hired contractors to listen to private Siri recordings, including sensitive discussions about medical issues, personal relationships, and illegal activities.
Back in the day, Apple came under attack since, while the company reported that Siri recordings may be audited, it did not say that those auditing the recordings were human. This current class-action lawsuit argues that Apple didn’t inform consumers they were going to be recorded without their express permission.
In this recent class action case, two plaintiffs stated that on two occasions they discussed “Air Jordan” sneakers near their iPhones and subsequently started seeing related ads. The third plaintiff alleged that he received various medical ads after mentioning a surgical procedure during a conversation with his doctor.
Who is Eligible to Receive a Siri Settlement Payment?
With preliminary approval in hand, Siri users in the United States who owned an Apple device between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024, are likely eligible to file a claim.
A dedicated website shall be launched within 45 days for filing of claims. May 15, 2025, shall be the deadline for filing claims.
How Much Could Eligible Users Receive?
Apple will pay $20 per eligible device. Users can claim compensation for up to five devices, which could amount to $100. The final payout may depend on the number of approved claims.
Do You Need to Stop Using Siri Over Privacy Concerns?
Despite that Apple hasn’t admitted anything wrong, the company denies these accusations, insisting that Siri gathers the data solely to improve its work. Data collected by Siri isn’t traced to any individual; it’s all anonymous and removed from the profiles of users.
As part of a legal filing, Apple said that the company denies the accusations and has decided to settle to avoid paying lengthy litigation costs.
Improvements to Apple’s Privacy After Controversy
Apple reassured users in 2019 by making Siri’s data collection for analytics opt-in rather than automatic. Users concerned about privacy can disable Siri or review the assistant’s privacy settings.
Though Apple continues to integrate AI into Siri, some users may prefer not to use the feature because of privacy concerns.
