Apple Agrees To Pay $95 Million To Settle Siri Eavesdropping Suit
Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that its virtual assistant, Siri, was used to eavesdrop on iPhone and other device users. The proposed settlement, filed in an Oakland, California federal court, would resolve a 5-year-old lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims that Apple surreptitiously activated Siri to record conversations through iPhones and other devices equipped with the virtual assistant for over a decade. These recordings allegedly occurred even when users didn’t activate Siri with the trigger words “Hey, Siri.”
Some recorded conversations were shared with advertisers to sell products to interested consumers, according to the lawsuit. This contradicts Apple’s commitment to protecting customer privacy, which CEO Tim Cook has framed as a fight for “a fundamental human right.”
Apple denies any wrongdoing in the settlement, which requires approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White. A February 14 court hearing has been proposed to review the terms.
If approved, tens of millions of consumers who owned iPhones and other Apple devices from September 17, 2014, to the end of last year may file claims. Each consumer could receive up to $20 per Siri-equipped device, although payments may be reduced or increased depending on the volume of claims.
Only 3% to 5% of eligible consumers are expected to file claims, according to court documents. Eligible consumers can seek compensation for a maximum of five devices. The settlement represents a small fraction of Apple’s $705 billion profits since September 2014.
The settlement amount is also significantly lower than the estimated $1.5 billion Apple could have been required to pay if found guilty of violating wiretapping and privacy laws in a trial.
The attorneys who filed the lawsuit may seek up to $29.6 million from the settlement fund to cover their fees and expenses, according to court documents.
