Apple: Compensation for millions of iPhone owners!

Apple has agreed to pay 95 million dollars to settle a lawsuit alleging that Siri, its voice assistant, recorded users’ conversations without their consent!

According to the lawsuit, Siri was activated accidentally, recording sensitive personal conversations that were shared with third parties, such as advertisers.

The settlement, which is subject to approval by Judge Jeffrey White, covers United States residents who owned Siri-enabled devices – such as an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, HomePod, iPod touch or Apple TV – during the period from 17 September 2014 to 31 December 2024. Eligible users who accidentally activated Siri during private conversations may receive up to 20 dollars per device, with a limit of five devices per person.

The case began following a revealing report by The Guardian newspaper in 2019, which highlighted that Apple contractors frequently heard sensitive information, such as medical details and private moments, as part of their evaluation of Siri. In response, Apple apologised and amended its privacy policy, allowing users to opt out of having their voice commands reviewed.

Although Apple denies any wrongdoing, it decided to settle to avoid the uncertainty and cost of a prolonged legal battle. Of the total settlement amount, up to 29,6 million dollars may cover legal fees and other related expenses.

This case comes amid growing scrutiny of voice assistants and their impact on privacy. Similar lawsuits have also been filed against other technology giants, such as Google, over their equivalent technologies.