Apple agrees to $95mn settlement for Siri privacy violations

Apple has agreed to pay $95 million in cash to settle a proposed class action lawsuit accusing its voice-activated assistant, Siri, of violating users' privacy.

The preliminary settlement, filed on Tuesday night in federal court in Oakland, California, is subject to approval by US District Judge Jeffrey White.

The lawsuit alleged that Apple secretly recorded users' private conversations after they unintentionally activated Siri, disclosing these recordings to third parties, including advertisers.

Users complained that mentions of specific products or services, such as Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants, triggered targeted ads related to those items.

One plaintiff claimed that after discussing a medical procedure with their doctor, they received ads for the associated treatment.

The class period for the lawsuit runs from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024, coinciding with the introduction of the "Hey, Siri" feature, which is claimed to have led to the unauthorized recordings.

Under the terms of the settlement, class members may receive up to $20 for each eligible Siri-enabled device, such as iPhones and Apple Watches. Apple has denied any wrongdoing in agreeing to settle the case.

Apple's net income for its most recent fiscal year was $93.74 billion, meaning the $95 million settlement represents approximately nine hours of the company's profit.

In a related matter, a similar lawsuit involving users of Google's Voice Assistant is ongoing in San Jose, California, with the same law firms representing plaintiffs in both cases.

The case is Lopez et al v. Apple Inc., U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 19-04577.