Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit in the United States over claims that its virtual assistant, Siri, recorded users without their consent. The settlement applies to people who accidentally activated Siri on their devices between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024.
Those eligible have until July 2, 2025, to submit a claim. The settlement includes users of Siri-enabled iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, Macs, HomePods, iPod touches and Apple TVs. Up to five devices can be claimed per person, as long as each was involved in an accidental activation during a conversation that was meant to be private.
Each approved device could qualify for a payment of up to $20. However, the exact amount each person receives will depend on how many valid claims are submitted. Claim notices are being sent by email and post, but those who do not receive one can still apply by filling out a form online.
The case stems from a 2019 lawsuit following reports that Apple contractors were listening to Siri recordings, including those captured by mistake. Although Apple acknowledged human reviewers had access to Siri recordings, its privacy policy at the time did not clearly disclose that third-party contractors were involved.
The lawsuit was initially dismissed due to a lack of evidence but later revived after fresh claims accused Apple of using Siri data for targeted advertising. While the court allowed the case to move forward, Apple has consistently denied using Siri data for advertising or sharing it with marketers.
In response to public criticism, Apple suspended the Siri grading programme in 2019, stopped using outside contractors for audio reviews, and added features to give users more control over their voice data. Later updates also moved some Siri processing to users’ devices to reduce data sharing with Apple’s servers.
Apple maintains that Siri was built with user privacy in mind and insists the data has never been sold or used to create marketing profiles. The company said it settled the case to avoid the expense of prolonged litigation, without admitting to any wrongdoing.
A final court hearing to approve the settlement is scheduled for August 1, after which payments to eligible users will begin.
