Apple Settles ‘Siri‘ Eavesdropping Lawsuit for $95 Million
After five years of legal battle, tech giant Apple has reached a settlement agreement in a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company’s digital voice assistant, Siri, listened in on users’ conversations without their knowledge. The company agreed to pay a total of $95 million to resolve the dispute.
The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of California federal court, accused Apple of secretly recording conversations using Siri on iPhones and other devices, even when users hadn’t activated the virtual assistant. Some of these recorded conversations were then shared with third-party contractors, who could sell products or services to potential customers based on the topics discussed.
Apple did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement but agreed to pay the compensation. The proposed settlement still needs to be approved by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White. A hearing is scheduled for February 14 in San Francisco to discuss the settlement’s terms.
If approved, the settlement could potentially benefit tens of millions of iPhone users worldwide who purchased the devices between September 16, 2014, and December 31, 2021. Each user could receive up to $20 for each iPhone or other Apple device with Siri that they owned during the specified period, depending on the number of claims filed.
According to documents filed in court, only 3-5% of eligible customers are expected to submit claims. The settlement fund will be used to pay those claims, attorney fees, and other costs associated with the litigation.
The settlement comes as Apple faces increasing scrutiny over its privacy practices and the handling of user data. The company has made significant strides in promoting user privacy in recent years, adding features like App Tracking Transparency to give users more control over their data.
