If you own Apple devices, particularly those equipped with Siri, you might be eligible for a financial payout. This potential compensation arises from a recent $95 million settlement that Apple has agreed to in a class action lawsuit concerning privacy violations associated with Siri.
What exactly did Siri do?
In 2019, it was revealed that Siri was unintentionally recording private conversations. This issue stemmed from the method Apple used to train its voice assistant. Users activate Siri by saying “Hey Siri” (or simply “Siri”). However, there are instances when Siri misinterprets background noise as the wake word, leading to unintended activations. This results in users hearing responses like, “I’m sorry, I didn’t get that,” even when they did not request Siri’s assistance.
To enhance Siri’s performance, Apple occasionally transmitted audio recordings from Siri-enabled devices to third-party contractors. Although Apple claimed that less than 1% of recordings were shared and none were linked to user Apple IDs, this practice did not adequately protect user privacy. Consequently, contractors gained access to sensitive information, including private conversations between doctors and patients, confidential business discussions, and other personal matters. Despite the absence of Apple ID details, contractors could still access user location, contact information, and app data.
Inadvertently, Apple created a scenario where if your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, HomePod, iPod touch, or Apple TV mistakenly activated Siri, there was a risk that private moments could be shared with third-party contractors. Notably, Apple is not alone in this regard; both Google and Amazon have faced similar accusations, with Google currently embroiled in a related lawsuit. Following the revelations, Apple enabled users to opt-out of sharing Siri recordings and subsequently ceased storing these recordings altogether.
Could you receive a portion of the $95 million?
The class action lawsuit that Apple has settled covers the timeframe from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024, coinciding with the period when “Hey Siri” was introduced on Apple devices. If you can verify that your Apple device activated Siri during a private conversation, you may be eligible for a payment. Each Siri-enabled device qualifies you for $20, capped at five devices, potentially allowing you to claim up to $100. However, if a significant number of claimants emerge, the payout per person could diminish.
It is important to note that Apple has denied any wrongdoing in this matter, although the company did express regret over the Siri situation in the past. Furthermore, this settlement is pending approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, which means payouts are not yet finalized.
As highlighted by Reuters, the $95 million settlement represents a mere nine hours of profit for Apple, raising questions about accountability and user privacy.
