Have you ever been in the middle of a private conversation, only to glance down and notice that Siri on your iPhone or Apple Watch has accidentally turned on? If so, you might be eligible for a small payout as part of a class-action lawsuit settlement involving Apple.
Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle claims that its Siri voice assistant violated user privacy. This legal dispute centers on allegations that Siri sometimes recorded private conversations when it was unintentionally activated, and those recordings were later shared with third parties, including human reviewers and advertisers. The claims cover a period of about ten years, starting in September 2014 when Apple launched the “Hey, Siri” voice activation feature, and ending on December 31 of an unspecified year.
The lawsuit followed a 2019 report by media, which revealed that Apple contractors had overheard snippets of personal conversations while reviewing Siri recordings for quality control purposes. These snippets allegedly included sensitive information. In response to the report, Apple apologized publicly and announced significant changes to how Siri processes and grades user interactions. The company admitted it hadn’t met its own high standards and pledged to improve.
As part of the settlement, eligible Siri users—those in the United States and its territories who owned or purchased Siri-enabled devices—can receive up to $20 per device. However, the exact payout will depend on the number of devices they own and the total number of people who make claims. To qualify, users must also declare under oath that Siri recorded their private conversations unintentionally.
If the settlement is approved by US District Judge Jeffrey White in Northern California, Apple will need to set up a website explaining how users can opt into Siri’s data collection and what information is stored. Apple will also confirm that it permanently deleted audio recordings collected before October 2019. On top of the $95 million payout, Apple might also have to cover legal fees amounting to $28.5 million and $1.1 million for litigation expenses.
While Apple denies any wrongdoing, this settlement reflects the company’s ongoing efforts to address privacy concerns. Meanwhile, Apple is looking ahead to a more advanced version of Siri. During the Glowtime event in September 2024, Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, introduced a revamped Siri powered by artificial intelligence. This new version promises to handle more complex requests with better understanding of personal context and on-screen awareness. Apple plans to roll out the updated Siri in 2025.
So, if you’ve ever had a run-in with Siri accidentally eavesdropping, now’s your chance to potentially receive compensation. Keep an eye out for further updates about this settlement and how to file a claim.
