Apple To Pay Siri Users $20 Per Device Over Siri Privacy Lawsuit
Apple To Pay Siri Users $20 Per Device Over Siri Privacy Lawsuit
Apple has agreed to a $95 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit that accused its Siri virtual assistant of violating user privacy. The lawsuit claimed that Siri recorded private conversations without user consent during unintended activations and shared some of these recordings with third parties.
Apple To Pay Siri Users $20 Per Device Over Siri Privacy Lawsuit : The settlement, filed on December 31, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, still requires approval from Judge Jeffrey White. If finalized, affected users may receive $20 per eligible Siri-enabled device as compensation.
The Allegations
The lawsuit alleged that Siri-enabled devices inadvertently recorded private conversations when activated unintentionally. This issue was tied to the “Hey Siri” feature, which allows users to summon Siri hands-free. Introduced in September 2014, the feature sometimes activated mistakenly, capturing audio without the user’s knowledge.
Further claims stated that some recordings were shared with third parties, including advertisers and human reviewers, contradicting Apple’s public stance on prioritizing user privacy.
Who Can File a Claim?
The settlement applies to individuals in the United States and its territories who owned Siri-enabled devices between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024. Devices covered include:
- iPhones
- iPads
- Apple Watches
- MacBooks
- iMacs
- HomePods
- iPod touch devices
- Apple TV
To qualify, users must attest under oath that their private conversations were recorded due to unintentional Siri activation.
Compensation Details
Eligible claimants can receive $20 per device for up to five Siri-enabled devices, but the final payout amount will depend on the total number of valid claims.
Additional Settlement Terms
As part of the settlement, Apple will:
- Permanently delete all Siri audio recordings collected before October 2019.
- Launch a webpage explaining its “Improve Siri” program, detailing what data Siri collects and how it is stored.
What’s Next?
A hearing is scheduled for February 14, 2025, in Oakland, California, to finalize the settlement terms. If approved, Apple users impacted by the issue can start filing claims for compensation.
This settlement marks another pivotal moment in the ongoing debate about privacy and data security in the tech industry, highlighting the growing scrutiny on how companies handle sensitive user data.
