Apple to Pay $95 Million to Settle Siri Privacy Lawsuit
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Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging that its Siri voice assistant violated users' privacy, as reported by Reuters. The preliminary settlement, filed Tuesday in a California federal court, is subject to approval by US District Judge Jeffrey White.
The lawsuit, brought by iPhone and Apple Watch owners, claimed that Apple recorded private conversations after users unintentionally activated Siri. Plaintiffs alleged that these recordings were then disclosed to third-party advertisers.
Two plaintiffs cited instances where discussions about Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants triggered targeted ads for those products. Another plaintiff claimed that a conversation about a specific surgical procedure with his doctor, which he believed was private, resulted in ads for that type of treatment.
The class period covers September 17, 2014, when Siri incorporated the "Hey, Siri" feature, to December 31, 2024. The lawsuit alleges that this feature led to unauthorized recordings.
Class members, estimated to number in the tens of millions, could receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device.
Apple denied any wrongdoing in agreeing to settle. The company and its lawyers have not yet responded to requests for comment. Plaintiffs' lawyers, who may seek up to $28.5 million in fees and $1.1 million in expenses from the settlement fund, also have not responded to requests for comment.
The $95 million settlement represents a relatively small financial hit for Apple, whose net income was $93.74 billion in its latest fiscal year.
A similar lawsuit against Google, alleging privacy violations by its Google Assistant, is pending in a California federal court. The plaintiffs in both cases are represented by the same law firms.