Apple to pay $95 million for Siri’s spying on users
3 January 15:58
Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit accusing the company of illegally recording user conversations using its Siri voice assistant. This was reported by Komersant ukrainskyi with reference to Reuters.
As part of the agreement, the company will allow all victims to receive up to $20 for each device with Siri.
The lawsuit covers gadgets with the voice assistant from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024. The plaintiffs claim that Siri recorded users’ private conversations even when activated accidentally.
The plaintiffs note that the system was activated not only by the command “Hello, Siri” but also in response to random phrases from conversations. As it turned out, even the sound of lightning on clothes could trigger the voice assistant.
Some of these recordings, according to the plaintiffs, were shared with advertisers to help sell products that might be of interest to users.
Two plaintiffs claim that after discussing products such as Air Jordan shoes or Olive Garden restaurants, they began to see advertisements for those products. Another plaintiff said he received an advertisement for a surgical treatment after discussing it with his doctor.
Apple denies violating the law, but agreed to the settlement to avoid further litigation. As part of the agreement, users will be able to receive compensation of up to $20 for each Siri-enabled device, including iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. The lawsuit involves tens of millions of owners of such devices.
A website will be set up within 45 days to determine who is eligible. Apple must provide contact information of customers who purchased devices with Siri. Claims can be filed until May 15, 2025, after which compensation will be paid.
Each user will be able to file a claim for up to five Siri devices, receiving up to $20 for each. The payout amount will depend on the number of valid claims. Out of the $95 million allocated, $28.5 million will go to pay attorneys’ fees, and $1.1 million will cover expenses. Apple has not yet made any official comments on the deal.
Reuters notes that the amount of $95 million is equivalent to the profit that the Apple company makes in just 9 hours.
