Apple has pledged to pay $95 million (£77 million) to settle a US class-action lawsuit alleging that Siri, its virtual assistant, recorded private conversations without users’ consent.
The proposed settlement, filed in a federal court in Oakland, California, comes after a five-year legal dispute and covers tens of millions of Apple device owners.
Although Apple denies any wrongdoing, it has agreed to the payout, which allows individuals who owned Siri-enabled devices — including iPhones and Apple Watches — to claim up to $20 per device. The case focuses on allegations that Siri was unintentionally triggered without the use of the “Hey, Siri” wake word, resulting in private conversations being recorded and shared with third parties such as advertisers.
Plaintiffs reported incidents where private discussions about products or services — from Air Jordan sneakers to specific medical treatments — apparently led to targeted adverts for those same items. They allege that Apple captured and shared these conversations without user permission.
The proposed settlement could damage Apple’s privacy-focused image, with chief executive Tim Cook previously positioning the company as an industry leader in safeguarding customer data. However, the $95 million settlement represents just a fraction of the profits Apple has generated since 2014 (an estimated $705 billion).
The settlement still requires court approval, with a hearing proposed for 14 February in Oakland. If approved, eligible US customers who owned Siri-enabled devices between 17 September 2014 and the end of last year will be able to submit claims. Lawyers for the plaintiffs may seek legal fees and expenses from the settlement fund, potentially up to $29.6 million in total.
