Apple will pay $95 million to resolve a lawsuit alleging that Siri engaged in unauthorized eavesdropping

Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the company of using its virtual assistant, Siri, to eavesdrop on users of iPhones and other devices. The proposed settlement, filed Tuesday in a federal court in Oakland, California, addresses a lawsuit that has been ongoing for five years. The case revolves around claims that Apple secretly activated Siri to record conversations through iPhones and other Siri-enabled devices for over a decade, even when users didn’t activate the assistant with the trigger phrase “Hey, Siri.”

The lawsuit further alleges that some of these recordings were shared with advertisers to target consumers with personalized ads. These accusations about Siri’s eavesdropping practices contradict Apple’s long-standing commitment to safeguarding user privacy, a stance that CEO Tim Cook has often described as a fight for “a fundamental human right.”

Although Apple is not admitting any wrongdoing in the settlement, which is still subject to approval by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, the agreement could provide compensation to millions of consumers. If approved, those who owned an iPhone or other Siri-equipped Apple device from September 17, 2014, through the end of 2023 may be eligible to file claims. Each eligible consumer could receive up to $20 per device, though the final amount may vary depending on the number of claims filed. Only a small percentage of eligible consumers (estimated to be 3% to 5%) are expected to make claims, and they can claim compensation for up to five devices.

The settlement represents a small portion of the $705 billion in profits Apple has made since 2014. It is also significantly less than the $1.5 billion that the lawyers for the consumers had estimated Apple might owe if the case went to trial and resulted in a finding of wiretapping and other privacy violations.

The attorneys representing the plaintiffs may request up to $29.6 million from the settlement fund for their fees and expenses.

Leave comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *.