Apple settles $95M lawsuit over Siri privacy concerns

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Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging that its practices regarding Siri recordings violated user privacy and contributed to targeted advertising. 

The lawsuit, filed in 2019, alleges that Apple unlawfully recorded user interactions with Siri without explicit consent and shared this data with third-party contractors, including advertisers.

At that time, The Guardian reported that the unlawful recordings included medical details, business deals, and even sexual encounters.

That lawsuit has finally been settled, and Apple has agreed to pay $95 million. Reuters said this settlement could mean a small payout to millions of iPhone and Apple Watch owners worldwide. 

Don’t get too excited; the payout is only up to $20 per Siri-enabled device 

While it’s great that Apple finally agreed to settle the lawsuit over the privacy concerns, a settlement isn’t actually an admission of wrongdoing. 

The settlement also only compensates the affected parties for the period from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024. According to Reuters, the sum is up to $20 per Siri-enabled device. 

While you may consider it a success, it’s pretty concerning to realize that the price for invading your privacy is only $20. 

The lawsuit also argued that Apple didn’t explicitly inform users about the extent to which Siri recordings were collected and used. 

While you may activate Siri by prompting the “Hey Siri” command or pressing down the side button on your iPhone, the lawsuit claimed that Siri was passively active and listening to the user’s conversations.

In response to these claims, Apple suspended the Siri grading program and made a few changes, such as stopping the retention of audio recordings by default.

The company even allowed Siri recordings to be stopped and existing ones deleted. 

While $20 is coming to you, the Siri lawsuit reminds you that your privacy can be invaded at any time, and tech companies aren’t concerned about it.

However, users deserve to fully understand what they are getting into and how their data is being collected and used. 

This case is a prime example of the need for stronger user control over virtual assistant data collection, as they are intruding into our daily lives. 

We have the right to disclose and not to disclose, and that right should stay under our control. 

What do you think about this settlement? What kind of regulations would you like to see around data privacy? Let’s chat about this below in the comments, or ping us via our Twitter or Facebook.