Science & Tech
Did Siri Eavesdrop on Your Calls? $95M Apple Lawsuit Explained
Job Othoniel / VideoElephant
Have you owned an Apple device since 2014? You could be eligible to receive part of a $95 million class action lawsuit regarding accusations that the Siri voice assistant spied on users.
Here is everything you need to know about the lawsuit and settlement
What was the lawsuit about?
The lawsuit (Lopez v. Apple) was filed in a California federal court in 2021, where users claimed their private conversations were being recorded by their Apple devices when they accidentally activated Siri.
According to the lawsuit, they allege "confidential or private communications were allegedly obtained by Apple and/or shared with third parties as a result of an unintended Siri activation".
In the lawsuit, a 2019 article from The Guardian is cited that found Apple's third-party contractors regularly heard confidential information via Siri recordings.
As a result of being recorded without their consent, users also allege that this information was then sent to advertisers who used it to target them with online advertisements.
What has Apple said?
Despite a settlement being reached, Apple denies the allegations.
On the settlement website, it reads, "Apple denies all of the allegations made in the lawsuit and denies that Apple did anything improper or unlawful."
Who is eligible to receive part of the settlement?
Anyone who has owned or purchased a Siri-enabled device between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024 is eligible, so the criterion is pretty broad.
"If you owned or purchased a Siri-enabled device and experienced an unintended Siri activation during a confidential or private communication between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024, you should read this Notice as it may impact your legal rights," according to the legal notice.
The lawsuit states the "Siri-enabled devices" include iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, MacBooks, iMacs, HomePods, iPod touches, and Apple TVs.
But you will be required to swear under oath that you "experienced at least one unintended Siri activation" and that it "occurred during a conversation intended to be confidential or private".
How much could I get?
Users can receive up to $20 per device, although this could be less depending on claimant submission numbers.
Is there a cap on how many devices I can claim for?
Yes, you can claim payments for up to five devices per person, and $100pp is the maximum payout.
How can I submit a claim, and when is the deadline?
The deadline to submit a claim is July 2, 2025.
To submit a claim, visit the Lopez Voice Assistant Settlement website, where you can enter the claim identification code you received via email or postcard. If you haven't received a code, you can make a new claim.
When will the final approval happen?
The final approval hearing will take place on August 1 at 9:00 AM PDT.
How long will it take to receive the payment?
This will become clearer after the final approval hearing, and it also depends on whether there are any appeals. If there aren't any, then the money will be processed as soon as possible, according to the website.
You can keep up-to-date with what's happening via the website.
Elsewhere, this little-known iPhone hack is ending outfit gate-keeping, and fears iPhone prices will go up due to tariffs as customers rush to buy.
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