Apple has agreed to a $95 million settlement to resolve a five-year-old lawsuit accusing the tech giant of using its Siri virtual assistant to record conversations without users’ consent. The settlement was filed in an Oakland, California, federal court on Tuesday and awaits approval.
Allegations of Unauthorized Recordings
The lawsuit alleged that Siri recorded users’ conversations even when they did not activate the assistant with the wake phrase “Hey, Siri.” These recordings, according to the plaintiffs, were shared with advertisers to tailor product recommendations based on user behavior.
This claim stands in stark contrast to Apple’s long-standing emphasis on privacy, which CEO Tim Cook has referred to as “a fundamental human right.”
Settlement Terms and Compensation
Apple has not admitted any wrongdoing as part of the settlement. If approved by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, the settlement will allow tens of millions of consumers who owned Siri-enabled devices between September 17, 2014, and the end of 2023 to file claims.
Eligible consumers could receive up to $20 per device, with compensation capped at five devices per person. The final amount may vary depending on the number of claims filed, with only 3% to 5% of eligible users expected to participate.
A Fraction of Apple’s Profits
The $95 million settlement is a small fraction of Apple’s profits, which have totaled approximately $705 billion since September 2014. It is also significantly less than the $1.5 billion the plaintiffs’ lawyers estimated Apple might have paid if found guilty of violating privacy laws in a trial.
Attorneys representing consumers are seeking up to $29.6 million from the settlement fund to cover their legal fees and other expenses.
Court Hearing Scheduled
A hearing to review the terms of the settlement has been proposed for February 14, 2024, in Oakland, California. If approved, the settlement will provide some restitution to consumers while allowing Apple to move past a case that highlighted concerns about privacy in an era of increasingly ubiquitous virtual assistants.
