ETtech Explainer: Apple settles Siri lawsuit for $95 million

Apple recently agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that its virtual assistant, Siri, secretly recorded conversations of iPhone and other Apple device users without their consent. The case has raised eyebrows, given Apple’s strong emphasis on privacy as a fundamental aspect of its brand.

In a media statement, the tech giant said, “Apple has never used Siri data to build marketing profiles, never made it available for advertising, and never sold it to anyone for any purpose. We are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private, and will continue to do so."

Apple issued the statement after social media users and commentators interpreted the settlement as confirmation that the allegations were true.


What is the Siri lawsuit about?

The lawsuit, filed by the Wood Law Firm in August 2019, claimed that Siri had been secretly recording conversations, even when users had not activated the assistant with the “Hey Siri” command.

The lawsuit alleged that some of these recordings were shared with advertisers to target consumers with tailored product promotions.

A similar lawsuit on behalf of users of Google's Voice Assistant is pending in the San Jose, California federal court.

What will consumers receive?

Under the proposed settlement, consumers who owned Siri-enabled Apple devices between September 17, 2014, and the end of 2023 could file claims. Eligible users might receive up to $20 per device, although the actual amount will depend on the number of claims filed.

Court documents estimate that only 3% to 5% of eligible consumers are likely to submit claims.

Recent Siri update

In its latest Apple Intelligence-powered Siri update, most processing happens directly on the device, minimising the need for cloud connectivity.

The tech giant continues to position Siri as a privacy-first virtual assistant, reinforcing its commitment to user security in the face of growing scrutiny.