Apple has agreed to a preliminary $95 million settlement in response to a class action lawsuit alleging that Siri, its virtual assistant, was activated without user consent and recorded private conversations. The lawsuit, filed in 2019, claims that Apple’s voice assistant inadvertently triggered itself and shared recordings of confidential conversations with third parties. These recordings reportedly included sensitive discussions such as medical conversations, “drug deals,” and personal moments, according to reports from The Guardian and Reuters. In some cases, plaintiffs reported receiving targeted ads based on private conversations.
While Apple maintains that it never used Siri data for marketing purposes or sold it to third parties, the company has agreed to the settlement to avoid further litigation. The settlement, which is pending approval by a U.S. district judge in Oakland, California, would apply to individuals who had any Apple device with Siri activated between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024. This includes devices like iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, Apple Watches, and HomePods.
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Eligible class members can file claims for up to five devices on which they believe Siri was unintentionally activated during confidential conversations. Payments are capped at $20 per device but could vary depending on the number of valid claims filed. Notification of eligibility will be sent via email or postcard, and an online claims process will also be available.
The lawsuit stemmed from claims that Apple’s virtual assistant violated its own privacy policies. Apple, known for its commitment to customer privacy, has denied any wrongdoing but decided to settle the case to resolve concerns about Siri’s third-party data sharing. In 2019, Apple made adjustments to Siri’s privacy features, including ceasing to store audio recordings and allowing users to opt in to share their interactions for improvement purposes. These recordings, Apple asserts, are only shared with employees and are not used to build marketing profiles.
The final settlement is expected to be approved in a court hearing on February 14, 2025. Although Apple has made significant profits since 2014, this settlement represents a small fraction of the company’s earnings. Consumer lawyers had estimated that if Apple had been found guilty, the company could have faced much higher penalties, potentially up to $1.5 billion.
