adminOn January 2, UPI reported that Apple Inc. has offered $95 Million Settlement in Siri Eavesdropping Lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that Apple’s Siri virtual assistant invaded people’s privacy. The proposal was filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern California, in Oakland on Tuesday. The lawsuit started in 2019 and includes owners of Apple devices, particularly the iPhone and Apple Watch.
The plaintiffs say that Siri recorded their private conversations without their consent after the assistant accidentally turned them on. They claim these unintentional recordings were shared with advertisers and other third parties.
Apple argues that Siri activates only when users say, “Hey, Siri.” However, a whistleblower in 2019 claimed that Siri could also be triggered by similar sounds or background noise, such as zippers or other noises. The plaintiffs argue that this malfunction allowed Siri to record private conversations and activities, including sensitive subjects and illegal transactions that users did not want to be overheard.
Several plaintiffs provided personal examples. One person mentioned that her Apple devices recorded her daughter saying brand names like Air Jordan and Olive Garden. This led to targeted ads appearing while using the Safari web browser. Another plaintiff shared that after discussing a surgical procedure with his doctor, he started receiving ads for surgical services from healthcare providers.
The plaintiffs argue that these accidental recordings seriously invade privacy, going against Apple’s claims of protecting user privacy. The proposed settlement aims to address these issues and compensate those affected.
The class includes potentially millions of owners of Siri-enabled Apple devices, such as iPhones and Apple Watches, purchased from September 17, 2014, to the end of 2024. If approved, each eligible person could receive $20 for each Siri-enabled device owned during that time.
Apple has not admitted wrongdoing but has agreed to delete recordings made before October 2019. Additionally, the company will update instructions for sharing data with Siri to improve its service.
The proposed settlement is now awaiting approval from U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey White, who oversees the case in Northern California. The result may set important standards regarding privacy rights and tech companies’ responsibilities to protect user data.
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