In a class-action lawsuit, Lopez v. Apple, Inc., Apple has agreed to a $95 million settlement. The lawsuit alleged that Apple secretly recorded user conversations through Siri when customers inadvertently activated the voice assistant.
The settlement resolves claims that the 2014 introduction of the “Hey, Siri” feature led to the unauthorized recording of user interactions, violating their privacy rights.”
A class-action lawsuit against Apple was filed between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2021. The case centered on concerns that Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, was inadvertently recording private conversations.
The plaintiffs alleged that Siri was activated without their knowledge or consent, triggered by words or phrases unrelated to the intended command. This, they argued, led to the unintended recording of private conversations.
Several plaintiffs described personal experiences of receiving targeted advertisements after casually mentioning products like Olive Garden restaurants and Air Jordan sneakers. One plaintiff expressed concern about the potential for data exploitation, citing the receipt of advertisements for a medical treatment discussed only with their healthcare provider.
The lawsuit raised concerns that these unintended recordings were potentially being used to deliver personalized advertisements to users.
Settlement Details and Next Steps
The settlement agreement allows claimants to recover up to $1.1 million in expenses and $28.5 million in legal fees. If approved, individuals in the tens of millions could receive up to $20 for each Apple device equipped with Siri.
Apple denies any wrongdoing and has accepted the settlement. It has been submitted to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White for approval. Once approved, the settlement would resolve a significant privacy lawsuit against Apple and compensate millions of affected consumers.
