Apple Agrees to $95 Million Settlement Over Siri Privacy Allegations
Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging its Siri voice assistant violated users’ privacy by recording private conversations without their consent.
The preliminary settlement, filed in a federal court in Oakland, California, awaits approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White.
The lawsuit claims that Siri, Apple’s voice-activated assistant, inadvertently recorded private conversations after being unintentionally triggered. Plaintiffs alleged that Apple shared these recordings with third parties, including advertisers, leading to targeted ads based on private discussions.
For instance, two users reported receiving ads for Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden after mentioning them in conversations. Another said he received ads for a surgical procedure after discussing it privately with his doctor.
The class-action period spans from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024, covering the time when Apple introduced the “Hey Siri” feature, which allegedly caused unauthorized recordings.
Eligible class members—estimated to number in the tens of millions—could receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, such as iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.
While Apple denies any wrongdoing, the Cupertino-based tech giant opted to settle the case. Neither Apple nor its legal representatives immediately responded to requests for comment.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys, who also represent a similar case involving Google’s Voice Assistant, have requested up to $28.5 million in legal fees and $1.1 million for expenses from the settlement fund.
The $95 million settlement represents a fraction of Apple’s financial power, equivalent to approximately nine hours of its annual profit. In its latest fiscal year, Apple reported a net income of $93.74 billion.
The case is listed as Lopez et al. v. Apple Inc., U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 19-04577.
