Apple will pay $95 million in a class-action lawsuit claiming that Siri voice assistants infringe on user privacy. The preliminary settlement has been filed in federal Oakland, California court, awaiting U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White’s approval.
It claimed that Siri recorded users’ private conversations unknowingly and then shared them with third parties such as advertisers. Plaintiffs had alleged that the “Hey Siri” activation feature of Siri very often misinterprets similar phrases, leading to unauthorized recordings.
Two plaintiffs had reported receiving targeted ads after discussing products such as Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants. Another claimed to have seen ads for a surgical procedure after a private conversation with a doctor.
The settlement applies to Siri-enabled devices used between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024. This could bring class members a minimum payment ranging up to $20 per device, including iPhones, Apple Watches, and smart speakers.
Apple denied any wrongdoing even though it agreed to the settlement. The company and its attorneys were not available to comment for this story. Attorneys representing the plaintiffs may collect up to $28.5 million in fees and up to $1.1 million in expenses from the settlement fund.
The payout stands at $95 million, a far cry from what Apple brought home nearly $94 billion profit in its last fiscal year.
There is an ongoing lawsuit of a similar case in California with Google’s Voice Assistant. Both cases have the same lawyers representing them.
Lopez et al v. Apple Inc. The case illustrates how data privacy concerns are increasingly raising issues of potential misuse by voice-activated technologies. It’s another step forward in settling issues as companies come under scrutiny.
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