Apple has offered to pay $95 million (£77 million) to settle a US class-action lawsuit alleging that Siri, its virtual assistant, recorded private conversations without users’ consent.
The proposed decision, filed in federal court in Oakland, California, comes after a five-year legal dispute and involves tens of millions of Apple device owners.
While Apple has denied any wrongdoing, it has agreed to a settlement, allowing people who own Siri-enabled devices — including iPhones and Apple Watches — to claim up to $20 per device. The lawsuit centers on allegations that Siri was inadvertently activated without using the wake-up voice “Hey, Siri”, resulting in private conversations being recorded and shared with third parties such as advertisers.
Plaintiffs have reported instances where private conversations about products or services — from Air Jordan sneakers to certain treatments — apparently led to targeted ads for those same items. They allege that Apple captured and shared these conversations without the user’s consent.
The proposed solution could damage Apple’s privacy-focused image, with CEO Tim Cook previously positioning the company as an industry leader in protecting customer information. However, the $95 million payout represents a fraction of Apple’s net profit since 2014 (approximately $705 billion).
The deal still needs court approval, with a hearing scheduled for February 14 in Oakland. If approved, eligible US customers who owned Siri-enabled devices between September 17, 2014 and the end of last year will be able to submit claims. The plaintiffs’ attorneys may seek legal fees and costs from the settlement fund, which could total up to $29.6 million.
