In a recent development, Apple has settled a class action lawsuit for $95 million concerning allegations that its virtual assistant, Siri, was listening to conversations without user consent. The lawsuit claims that not only was Siri activated unintentionally, but that recordings of these instances were shared with advertisers, potentially aimed at enhancing targeted advertising. Lead plaintiff Fumiko Lopez and her daughter assert they were recorded without consent and subsequently received targeted ads related to their conversations.
Apple Settles Siri Listening Lawsuit for $95 Million
Apple Settles Siri Listening Lawsuit for $95 Million
Tech giant Apple agrees to pay $95 million to resolve allegations of unauthorized listening via Siri, while denying any wrongdoing.
While Apple continues to deny any wrongdoing and maintains that no conversations were unlawfully recorded or revealed to third parties, they have taken steps to ensure privacy. Their legal team confirmed that all individual Siri recordings collected before October 2019 have been permanently deleted. The tech company has set a decision date for the settlement on February 14, 2024, in Northern California.
Under the terms of the settlement, United States-based claimants can expect to receive up to $20 for each Siri-enabled device they owned during the period from 2014 to 2019. Approximately 30% of the settlement fund will go to legal fees, totaling just under $30 million. This settlement helps Apple avoid the risks associated with a trial, which could result in even greater payouts.
Apple has faced multiple class action lawsuits in recent times, including a $500 million settlement concerning accusations of intentionally slowing down iPhones, and a £490 million settlement related to practices in the UK. Meanwhile, a similar lawsuit is currently proceeding against Google for their own alleged privacy breaches through Google devices, with cases heard in the same Californian court.
Under the terms of the settlement, United States-based claimants can expect to receive up to $20 for each Siri-enabled device they owned during the period from 2014 to 2019. Approximately 30% of the settlement fund will go to legal fees, totaling just under $30 million. This settlement helps Apple avoid the risks associated with a trial, which could result in even greater payouts.
Apple has faced multiple class action lawsuits in recent times, including a $500 million settlement concerning accusations of intentionally slowing down iPhones, and a £490 million settlement related to practices in the UK. Meanwhile, a similar lawsuit is currently proceeding against Google for their own alleged privacy breaches through Google devices, with cases heard in the same Californian court.
