Apple Settles Siri Privacy Lawsuit for $95 Million

Investing.com -- Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has agreed to a $95 million cash settlement in a class action lawsuit claiming that the tech giant’s voice-activated assistant, Siri, violated user privacy. The preliminary agreement was submitted to a federal court in Oakland, California on Tuesday and is now awaiting approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White.

Mobile device owners complained that Apple regularly recorded private conversations when Siri was activated unintentionally. It was reported that these recorded conversations were disclosed to third parties, including advertisers. Voice assistants like Siri typically respond to specific "trigger words," such as "Hey, Siri."

Two of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit claimed they received advertisements for Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants after discussing these products. Another plaintiff reported receiving advertisements for a specific surgical procedure after privately discussing it with their doctor.

The duration of the class action extends from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024. This period began when Siri allegedly started using the "Hey, Siri" feature, which led to these unauthorized recordings.

Group members, estimated to be in the tens of millions, may receive up to $20 per device with Siri capabilities, such as iPhones and Apple Watches. Although Apple has accepted the settlement, it has denied any wrongdoing.