Saturday, 4 January 2025

Apple Agrees to $95 Million Settlement Over Siri Privacy Allegations

 

Apple has agreed to a $95 million settlement to resolve a five-year-old lawsuit alleging its voice activated Siri virtual assistant recorded users without consent. The lawsuit claimed Siri inadvertently activated without the trigger words “Hey, Siri,” capturing private conversations that were later shared with advertisers to target consumers.

Two plaintiffs said their mentions of Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants triggered ads for those products. Another said he got ads for a brand name surgical treatment after discussing it, he thought privately, with his doctor.

The allegations, which contradict Apple’s long-standing commitment to customer privacy, highlight potential misuse of Siri’s functionality. CEO Tim Cook has frequently championed privacy as a “fundamental human right.”

The proposed settlement, which must still be approved by a federal judge, was filed Tuesday night in the Oakland, California federal court. Apple isn’t acknowledging any wrongdoing in the settlement. A hearing is scheduled for February 14, 2024, to finalize the agreement.

If approved, tens of millions of Apple customers who owned Siri-equipped devices between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2023, may file claims. Compensation could amount to $20 per device for up to five devices per consumer. However, payments may vary based on the number of claims submitted, as only 3% to 5% of eligible consumers are expected to participate.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs may seek up to $28.5 million in legal fees, plus $1.1 million for expenses, from the settlement fund.

The $95 million is about nine hours of profit for Apple, whose net income was $93.74 billion in its latest fiscal year.

For affected consumers, this case underscores the importance of vigilance in protecting personal data in the digital age.


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