Apple to pay $95 million to settle Siri privacy lawsuit

Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging that its voice assistant, Siri, violated user privacy by recording private conversations and sharing them with third parties, including advertisers. The preliminary settlement was filed on Tuesday in a federal court in Oakland, California, and awaits approval from US District Judge Jeffrey White.

The lawsuit claims that Siri, which responds to the "Hey Siri" trigger phrase, unintentionally recorded private conversations and disclosed these to advertisers. Plaintiffs reported that mentions of products, such as Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants, led to targeted ads. One individual also reported receiving ads for a surgical treatment after discussing it with their doctor.

The class period for the lawsuit spans from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024, when Siri introduced the "Hey Siri" feature, which allegedly caused unauthorized recordings. Class members, potentially numbering in the tens of millions, may receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, such as iPhones and Apple Watches.

Although Apple has denied any wrongdoing, the settlement marks a significant step in resolving the case. Lawyers representing the plaintiffs may seek up to $28.5 million in fees, plus $1.1 million for expenses.

Apple’s $95 million settlement amount represents about nine hours of profit, given the company’s net income of $93.74 billion in its latest fiscal year.