In a significant legal development, Apple has decided to settle a lawsuit for $95 million related to accusations that its virtual assistant, Siri, was eavesdropping on users without their consent. The lawsuit alleged that Apple recorded voices and shared these recordings with advertisers, raising serious concerns about user privacy.
Apple Settles Siri Privacy Lawsuit for $95 Million
Apple Settles Siri Privacy Lawsuit for $95 Million
Tech giant Apple agrees to a settlement in a lawsuit claiming unauthorized listening through Siri, while denying any wrongdoing.
In the settlement agreement, Apple maintains it did not engage in any illicit recording practices. The company asserted that it "did not record, disclose to third parties, or fail to delete conversations" linked to Siri activations without permission. Additionally, Apple indicated that any Siri audio recordings gathered prior to October 2019 have been permanently deleted.
Nonetheless, plaintiffs in the case argued that devices were capturing unintended activations of Siri, without the user explicitly invoking the assistant by saying, “Hey, Siri.” They claimed that recordings sent to advertisers allowed them to optimize marketing strategies based on the keywords found in these conversations.
The class-action suit is set to go to court in Oakland, California, with a proposed decision date of February 14. Claimants, who must reside in the United States, could each receive up to $20 for every Siri-enabled device they owned from 2014 to 2019. Attorneys involved in the suit may claim approximately 30% of the settlement, equating to just under $30 million.
By opting to settle, Apple circumvents a potentially more protracted court battle that could have resulted in a larger settlement. The company's financial reports show it earned nearly $95 billion in the quarter ending September 28, 2024.
Apple has been no stranger to legal challenges, having previously settled a $500 million lawsuit over accusations of deliberately slowing down iPhones and agreeing to pay $490 million to settle a related class action in the UK. In a separate matter, the consumer rights group Which? is pursuing legal action against the company for alleged unfair pricing associated with its iCloud service.
Nonetheless, plaintiffs in the case argued that devices were capturing unintended activations of Siri, without the user explicitly invoking the assistant by saying, “Hey, Siri.” They claimed that recordings sent to advertisers allowed them to optimize marketing strategies based on the keywords found in these conversations.
The class-action suit is set to go to court in Oakland, California, with a proposed decision date of February 14. Claimants, who must reside in the United States, could each receive up to $20 for every Siri-enabled device they owned from 2014 to 2019. Attorneys involved in the suit may claim approximately 30% of the settlement, equating to just under $30 million.
By opting to settle, Apple circumvents a potentially more protracted court battle that could have resulted in a larger settlement. The company's financial reports show it earned nearly $95 billion in the quarter ending September 28, 2024.
Apple has been no stranger to legal challenges, having previously settled a $500 million lawsuit over accusations of deliberately slowing down iPhones and agreeing to pay $490 million to settle a related class action in the UK. In a separate matter, the consumer rights group Which? is pursuing legal action against the company for alleged unfair pricing associated with its iCloud service.
