Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a proposed class action lawsuit over privacy concerns related to its voice assistant, Siri. The lawsuit claims that Apple violated users’ privacy by unintentionally recording private conversations and sharing them with third parties, such as advertisers. A preliminary settlement was filed in federal court in Oakland, California, and awaits approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White.
The plaintiffs argued that Siri, which is triggered by phrases like “Hey, Siri,” recorded their conversations without consent. Some users reported receiving ads for products they had mentioned, like Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants, while one person reported getting ads related to a surgical procedure they discussed with their doctor.
The class period for the lawsuit spans from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024, covering when Siri’s “Hey, Siri” feature was introduced, which allegedly led to these unauthorized recordings.
The settlement may allow affected users to receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, such as iPhones and Apple Watches, with an estimated tens of millions of users potentially eligible. Apple, however, denies any wrongdoing.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys may seek up to $28.5 million in fees, plus $1.1 million for expenses from the settlement fund. For Apple, the settlement amount is equivalent to approximately nine hours of profit, based on the company’s recent net income of $93.74 billion.
A similar lawsuit against Google regarding its Voice Assistant is also pending in the same federal district, with the same law firms representing both cases.
The case is Lopez et al v. Apple Inc., U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 19-04577.