Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit alleging its Siri voice assistant recorded users without their consent.
If a federal judge approves the settlement, which does not admit wrongdoing, it could benefit millions of Apple customers.
The class-action lawsuit, filed in 2019 in California, claimed Siri captured conversations even when the “Hey Siri” trigger phrase was not used.
Plaintiffs argued Apple violated customer privacy and failed to disclose the extent of Siri’s recordings.
According to court documents, Apple contractors overheard confidential information during quality control processes, including medical details and intimate moments.
Apple will establish a $95 million fund to compensate affected customers who owned Siri-enabled devices between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024. Eligible users can claim up to $20 per device, with a maximum of five devices per person.
The settlement also includes up to $28.5 million in legal fees and $1.1 million for expenses. Plaintiffs may receive service awards of up to $10,000 each. The final terms will be reviewed during a hearing on February 14, 2025.
While significant for consumers, the settlement is a mere blip for Apple, representing only a few hours of its annual profit of $94 billion. The case will close five years of litigation over Siri’s alleged privacy violations if approved.
