Apple‘s decision to settle a $95 million lawsuit over Siri‘s unauthorized voice recordings marks a significant development in the growing tension between voice assistant technology and privacy rights. The settlement offers compensation to millions of Apple users whose private conversations may have been inadvertently captured by Siri between 2014 and 2024, highlighting how even accidental data collection can trigger substantial legal consequences for tech companies.
The big picture: Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle claims that Siri recorded private conversations without user consent, potentially affecting millions of customers who owned Siri-enabled devices over a ten-year period.
- The settlement stems from a 2019 lawsuit after reports emerged that Apple contractors were reviewing recordings from accidental Siri activations as part of quality control.
- While Apple denies wrongdoing, the company has made significant changes to its Siri data handling practices, including ending contractor reviews and offering users more privacy controls.
Who can claim compensation: Users who owned any Siri-enabled Apple device between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024, and experienced an accidental Siri activation during a private conversation are eligible for payment.
- Qualifying devices include iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, Macs, HomePods, iPod touches, and Apple TVs.
- Claimants must attest that they experienced at least one instance where Siri accidentally activated during a private or confidential conversation.
Compensation details: Eligible users can receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, with a maximum payout of $100 for five devices.
- The actual amount each claimant receives will depend on how many valid claims are submitted before the July 2, 2025 deadline.
- Payments will be distributed after the final approval hearing scheduled for August 1, 2025.
How to file a claim: Apple is notifying eligible customers via email or postcard with instructions on how to participate in the settlement.
- Those who believe they qualify but didn’t receive notification can submit a claim manually through the official settlement website.
- The filing process is reportedly quick and straightforward, taking only a few minutes to complete.
Behind the numbers: This settlement represents one of the rare instances where consumers can receive direct compensation for privacy violations related to voice assistant technology.
- Apple has maintained that Siri data was never used for advertising or sold to third parties, despite the collection concerns.
- The company has since moved more Siri processing directly onto devices, reducing privacy risks associated with cloud processing.
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