Apple has reached a $95 million settlement in a lawsuit accusing the company of using its virtual assistant Siri to eavesdrop on users’ conversations. The lawsuit was filed by The Wood Law Firm in August 2019 after allegations emerged that Siri was recording conversations without users’ knowledge, in violation of Apple’s commitment to privacy. This led to concerns that Apple may have violated federal wiretapping laws and other statutes designed to protect people’s privacy.
The settlement covers tens of millions of U.S consumers who owned or purchased iPhones and other Siri-enabled devices between September 2014 and the end of 2020. Each eligible consumer may receive up to $20 per device, with a maximum limit. The final amount distributed to consumers will depend on the number of claims filed and the portion used to cover legal fees and costs. Only 3% to 5% of eligible consumers are expected to file claims, with lawyers requesting nearly $30 million in fees and expenses.
Although Apple denies any wrongdoing and maintains that it would have been cleared of misconduct in a trial, the company has decided to settle the case. The $95 million settlement, while significant, represents only a small portion of Apple’s profits, which have exceeded $700 billion since September 2014. This settlement highlights the potential risks and consequences for companies like Apple that value privacy as a fundamental human right.
Similar cases are ongoing, including one against Google and its virtual assistant in Android software. Users who are concerned about their privacy can disable Siri on their devices by adjusting the settings. By navigating to Settings, Siri & Search, users can turn off the ‘Hey Siri’ feature and disable Siri by pressing the Side button. Users can also disable individual apps’ access to the device’s microphone by adjusting app-specific settings. Concerns about privacy and data security continue to be a prominent issue for users of virtual assistant technologies.
