Cyber Crime
Apple Agrees to $95 Million Settlement Over Siri Eavesdropping Lawsuit
Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the company of using its virtual assistant, Siri, to eavesdrop on users without consent. The proposed settlement, filed in an Oakland, California, federal court, addresses allegations that Siri recorded conversations even without being intentionally activated and shared some of these recordings with advertisers.
The five-year-old lawsuit claims that Apple’s devices, including iPhones and other Siri-enabled products, captured conversations over a decade without users triggering the assistant with “Hey, Siri.” These recordings were allegedly used to tailor advertisements, contradicting Apple’s long-standing commitment to privacy, often championed by CEO Tim Cook as a “fundamental human right.”
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Apple has denied any wrongdoing in the case but has agreed to the settlement terms, which must be approved by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White. A court hearing to review the settlement is proposed for February 14, 2025.
Under the settlement, U.S. consumers who owned Siri-enabled devices between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024, could claim up to $20 per device, with a cap of five devices per person. The exact payout may vary based on the number of claims filed, as only 3% to 5% of eligible consumers are expected to participate.
The $95 million settlement is a small fraction of Apple’s $705 billion in profits since 2014 and significantly lower than the $1.5 billion the lawsuit sought in damages for alleged violations of wiretapping and privacy laws. Attorneys for the plaintiffs may request up to $29.6 million from the settlement fund to cover legal fees and expenses.