Apple's $95 Million Siri Privacy Settlement

Apple has agreed to a $95 million settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging that its Siri assistant recorded private conversations and shared them with third parties. The lawsuit claims that Siri's microphone was activated unintentionally, recording conversations without the user's knowledge, and that this audio data was shared with third-party marketers and advertisers. Here's a breakdown of the key points:

• Allegations: The lawsuit alleges that Apple violated the federal Wiretap Act and California's Invasion of Privacy Act by recording and sharing private conversations without user consent. Users reported being targeted with advertisements related to sensitive topics discussed in private when Siri had been accidentally activated.
• Settlement Terms:
  • Apple will create a $95 million non-reversionary fund to cover payments to class members, attorney fees, awards for class representatives, and administrative costs.
  • The settlement applies to U.S.-based current or former owners of Siri-enabled devices (iPhones, iPads, Macs, etc.) whose communications were obtained or shared without consent due to unintentional Siri activations between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024.
  • Class members can claim up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, for up to five devices.
  • Apple is required to permanently delete all Siri audio recordings obtained in violation of the laws within six months of the settlement's effective date.
  • Apple is expected to provide clear disclosures on how users can manage Siri settings to protect their data from unintentional disclosure.
• Class Action Details:
  • The lawsuit was filed in August 2019, after an article in The Guardian alleged that Siri's microphone was surreptitiously recording conversations.
  • The case was submitted by Fumiko Lopez, John Troy Pappas, and David Yacubian.
  • The proposed settlement still needs to be approved by a judge. A preliminary approval hearing is scheduled for February 14, 2025. If approved, the deadline for claims submission will be 135 days later, on June 29, 2025.
• The settlement class includes all individual current or former owners or purchasers of a Siri Device, who reside in the United States and its territories, whose confidential or private communications were obtained by Apple and/or were shared with third parties as a result of an unintended Siri activation between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024.
• Apple's Response: Apple denies any wrongdoing but chose to settle to avoid further legal costs and potential bad publicity.
• How to Disable Siri: Users can disable "Hey Siri" activation, restrict Siri usage from certain apps, and delete Siri and dictation history. Steps to disable Siri include turning off 'Listen for "Hey Siri"' in device settings, and turning off microphone access for individual apps in settings.
• Monetary Aspects: The settlement amount will be used to pay for costs of notice and administering the settlement, attorneys' fees, service awards for class representatives, and the net amount will be distributed to settlement class members. The net settlement amount will be distributed to claimants who submit valid claim forms establishing they owned or used a Siri Device and experienced an unintended Siri activation during a confidential or private communication. Claim forms will be pre-populated with member contact information and will require members to confirm their contact information and other details about their devices and experience.

The settlement also includes non-monetary terms, including that Apple will confirm the deletion of all individual Siri audio recordings collected by Apple prior to October 2019 within six months after the effective date, and that it will publish a webpage explaining how users can opt in to the "Improve Siri" option on their devices, and the information Apple stores from users who choose to opt in.