Apple has agreed to pay $95m (£77m) to settle a lawsuit claiming its Siri virtual assistant recorded users without their consent and shared voice data with advertisers.
The class action, filed in Northern California, accused Apple of eavesdropping through unintentional Siri activations, collecting sensitive voice recordings without permission. Claimants alleged these recordings were then used by advertisers to target users with tailored ads. Apple denies any wrongdoing, maintaining it has never disclosed unauthorised recordings and permanently deleted earlier collected data before October 2019.
Lead plaintiff Fumiko Lopez claimed both she and her daughter were recorded without permission and subsequently targeted with ads for products they had only discussed aloud. The lawsuit highlighted the potential risks of smart devices inadvertently capturing private conversations, sparking privacy concerns among consumers globally.
Under the settlement, US-based claimants who owned Siri-enabled devices between 2014 and 2019 could receive up to $20 per device. However, legal fees and expenses will claim nearly $30m of the settlement, leaving the remainder to be distributed among eligible claimants. By settling, Apple avoids the possibility of a larger payout if the case went to trial.
This case is part of a broader wave of lawsuits challenging tech giants over privacy violations. Apple, while maintaining its commitment to user privacy, has faced multiple class actions in recent years, including a $500m settlement over deliberately slowing iPhones and a UK-led lawsuit over alleged iCloud overcharging.
For Apple, the settlement highlights the growing scrutiny tech companies face regarding data privacy. While the payout is modest for a company with quarterly revenues nearing $95bn, it signals a pressing need for stricter safeguards and transparency in handling user data. For businesses, it serves as a warning, i.e. prioritising user privacy is no longer optional, but essential to maintaining consumer trust.