Apple Inc. has agreed to a $95 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging that its Siri voice assistant breached user privacy. This preliminary settlement, submitted to the federal court in Oakland, California, awaits approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White.
The lawsuit arose after Apple device owners claimed their private conversations were inadvertently recorded by Siri when it was unintentionally activated. These recordings were reportedly shared with third parties, including advertisers. Voice assistants like Siri typically activate in response to specific "wake words," such as "Hey, Siri."
In the lawsuit, two plaintiffs reported receiving ads for Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden after these topics were mentioned. Another individual noted he was served ads for a surgical treatment following a private discussion with his doctor.
The class action period covers from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024, beginning when Siri introduced the "Hey, Siri" feature, which allegedly prompted these unauthorized recordings.
It's estimated that tens of millions of class members may be eligible to receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, including iPhones and Apple Watches.
Despite agreeing to the settlement, Apple has denied any misconduct.
