Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over claims that its Siri voice assistant recorded and shared users’ private conversations without their consent. The proposed settlement, filed in federal court in Oakland, California, still requires approval from a judge. While Apple denies any wrongdoing, the agreement could result in payouts of up to $20 per Siri-enabled device for eligible customers.
The lawsuit alleges that Siri sometimes activated inadvertently, capturing private conversations and sharing them with third parties, such as advertisers. Plaintiffs claimed this violated their privacy, with some reporting that casual mentions of products or services led to targeted ads. One plaintiff cited receiving ads for Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden after mentioning them in what they believed to be private conversations, while another reported similar ads for a surgical treatment discussed confidentially with their doctor.
The legal battle dates back to a 2019 report from The Guardian, which revealed that Apple contractors regularly reviewed confidential Siri recordings to improve the system’s functionality. A whistleblower alleged that accidental activations were frequent, triggered by sounds as simple as a zipper. Apple responded at the time by stating that only a small portion of data was reviewed and that it was used solely to enhance Siri’s performance.
If approved, the settlement will resolve five years of litigation. Eligible class members include customers who purchased Siri-enabled devices such as iPhones, iPads, HomePod speakers, Mac computers, Apple Watches, and Apple TVs between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024. Claimants may apply for compensation for up to five devices, with potential payments reaching $20 per product.
Claimants must affirm under oath that they experienced Siri recording a private conversation without intentional activation. Accepting the settlement will also prevent participants from pursuing related claims against Apple.
As part of the settlement, Apple has agreed to confirm the deletion of Siri recordings collected before October 2019 and to provide clearer information about its opt-in “Improve Siri” program on its website.
