Apple has agreed to settle a proposed class action lawsuit for $95 million, addressing claims that its Siri voice assistant violated users’ privacy.
The news was initially reported by Reuters.
The settlement covers U.S.-based current or former owners of Siri-enabled devices who experienced unintentional Siri activations that led to the capture or sharing of private voice communications between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024.
Eligible participants can file claims for up to five Siri-enabled devices, including iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, MacBooks, iMacs, HomePods, iPod touches, or Apple TVs. Each valid claim allows users to receive $20 per device if they experienced accidental Siri activations during private conversations.
The legal dispute began after a 2019 report by The Guardian revealed that Apple contractors were reviewing user conversations recorded by Siri to enhance the service. An amended complaint filed in 2021 accused Apple of inadvertently recording and sharing private conversations with third-party advertisers due to accidental Siri activations.
Apple has denied these allegations, stating that no evidence supports claims linking Siri’s recordings to targeted advertisements. The company also argued that there is no factual basis connecting users’ receipt of targeted ads to Siri’s operation or data sharing with third parties.
In response to the controversy, Apple issued an apology in 2019, acknowledging shortcomings in meeting its privacy standards. It subsequently introduced an opt-in feature for users to allow Siri to improve through audio sample analysis. The company also promised to delete recordings triggered unintentionally.
Since then, Apple has implemented updates across its platforms, enabling users to turn off analytics collection for Siri and dictation or delete their interaction history. While Apple denies any misconduct in the case, it has agreed to the settlement.
Meanwhile, Google, which faced similar allegations regarding its voice assistant in 2019, is defending itself in a separate lawsuit in the U.S. District Court.