Apple's Siri voice assistant. ARCHIVE

Apple Inc. has agreed to a $95 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit alleging its Siri voice assistant violated users' privacy by recording private conversations without consent. The preliminary settlement, filed in an Oakland, California federal court, awaits approval from US District Judge Jeffrey White. The lawsuit claimed Siri, Apple’s AI assistant, unintentionally recorded users' private conversations when mistakenly activated and shared this data with third parties like advertisers. Plaintiffs pointed out that unintended triggers, such as casual mentions of products like “Air Jordan sneakers” or “Olive Garden,” resulted in targeted advertisements. The class period for the lawsuit spans from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024. This marks the timeframe when Apple introduced the "Hey, Siri" feature, which allegedly contributed to unauthorized recordings. Class members, potentially numbering in the tens of millions, are eligible for up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, including iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches. Despite the settlement, Apple denied any wrongdoing. “This settlement underscores the importance of holding tech companies accountable for data privacy,” said a privacy advocate involved in the case. Lawyers for the plaintiffs could claim up to $28.5 million in fees and an additional $1.1 million for expenses. Both Apple and the plaintiffs’ legal team have yet to issue public comments. Apple has faced scrutiny over Siri's operations in the past, including incidents where contractors reviewing Siri recordings encountered sensitive user information. The company previously pledged to enhance transparency and user control over data collection.

Who are eligible for payout?

With the case receiving preliminary approval, Siri users will be able to make a claim. Anyone who owned an Apple Siri-enabled device between September 17, 2014 and December 31 2024, are eligible to claim. They need to be based in the US. A decision on approved claims is expected on February 14, and a website will be setup within 45 days to allow affected users to file a claim until May 15, 2025.

How much will Apple compensate Siri users?

Apple will pay out $20 to Siri users for each device, at up to five devices or $100 in total. The settlement payment could be higher, depending on the number of claims submitted and approved. ICA/Expat Media
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