Apple could pay out $20 per device to users affected by alleged Siri spying. Here’s who is eligible … [+]
Apple users could soon be eligible for a cash payout after the iPhone maker agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class action case including alleged Siri eavesdropping.
A preliminary settlement, filed Dec. 13, 2024 in Oakland, California is now awaiting approval by a U.S. district judge, Reuters reports.
The lawsuit alleges Apple was infringing privacy by capturing Siri conversations when the voice assistant had been activated accidentally and sharing this information with advertisers. It dates back to 2019, when U.K. newspaper The Guardian reported that Apple employed contractors to listen to Siri recordings of private conversations including medical appointments, sexual encounters and drug deals.
Apple got into hot water at the time because although the iPhone maker did say recordings from Siri could be listened to, it did not explicitly state that there was human oversight of the voice assistant. The new Siri lawsuit alleges that Apple didn’t inform people they were regularly being recorded without consent.
In the latest Siri eavesdropping case, two plaintiffs alleged that they mentioned Air Jordan shoes and their iPhones showed adverts for the product. Another claimed he received medical ads after discussing a specific surgical treatment with his doctor.
So, who could be eligible for a payout once a district judge approves the Siri eavesdropping settlement — and what should you do to ensure privacy when using Apple’s voice assistant?
Who Could Be Eligible For The Siri Eavesdropping Payout?
Now the case has been settled and received preliminary approval, it’s likely Siri users will be able to make a claim. To be eligible, you need to be based in the U.S. and an owner of an Apple device between Sept. 17, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2024. A website to confirm this will be set up within 45 days and you then have until May 15, 2025 to file your claim.
How Much Will Apple Pay Siri Users?
Apple will pay out $20 to Siri users, but the good news is, you can submit a claim for each of the devices you use, up to five devices, or $100 total. The settlement payment could be higher depending on the number of claims submitted and approved.
Siri Eavesdropping—Should You Quit The Voice Assistant Following The Claims?
It’s important to note that Apple hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing in the Siri eavesdropping case and there is no concrete proof that the iPhone maker passed recordings to advertisers. Data is collected to improve Siri only and this is anonymized and not associated with a particular user, Apple says.
Apple said it “continues to deny any and all alleged wrongdoing and liability, specifically denies each of the Plaintiffs’ contentions and claims, and continues to deny that the Plaintiffs’ claims and allegations would be suitable for class action status,” according to the filing.
The iPhone maker is simply settling the Siri case to avoid costly litigation fees.
I have asked Apple for further comment and will update this article if the firm responds.
And the good news is, Apple offers plenty of privacy settings to prevent Siri eavesdropping on your conversations. Firstly, the voice assistant’s data collection for analytics is now opt-in only, a change made in 2019 following the original claims.
If you are really concerned about Siri eavesdropping, you could turn off the voice assistant altogether. Apple is increasing using artificial intelligence (AI) to boost Siri and some users just won’t be comfortable with that.