Apple has reached an agreement to pay $95 million to conclude a lawsuit that accused the company of using its virtual assistant, Siri, to eavesdrop on users of its devices. The settlement, filed in a federal court in Oakland, California, addresses claims that Apple had secretly activated Siri to record conversations without the knowledge or consent of the users since 2014.
The lawsuit alleged that these recordings occurred even when users did not activate Siri with the phrase “Hey, Siri.” Furthermore, it was claimed that some of these recorded conversations were shared with advertisers to target consumers more effectively, raising serious privacy concerns.
This controversy stands in stark contrast to Apple’s public stance on privacy, which has been a cornerstone of its identity. CEO Tim Cook has long defended the need to safeguard customer privacy, calling it “a fundamental human right.”
Although Apple is settling, the company does not admit to any wrongdoing. The agreement is still pending approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, with a hearing scheduled for February 14.
If the settlement receives the green light, millions of consumers who owned iPhones and other Apple devices between September 17, 2014, and the end of last year may be eligible to claim compensation. Each consumer could receive up to $20 per device, but the actual payment may vary based on the number of claims submitted. It’s estimated that only about 3% to 5% of eligible consumers will file for compensation.
Moreover, each consumer would be limited to seeking compensation for a maximum of five devices. The total settlement amount represents just a small fraction of Apple’s massive profits, which have exceeded $705 billion since 2014. While consumer lawyers estimated that if the case had gone to trial, Apple could have faced payouts of up to $1.5 billion for potential violations of privacy laws, this settlement is considerably less.
The attorneys involved in the lawsuit may seek up to $29.6 million from the settlement fund to cover their fees and expenses. This development highlights ongoing concerns regarding privacy practices in the tech industry and the responsibility companies have to protect their users.
