In brief
In a significant legal settlement, Apple has announced it will pay $95 million to resolve allegations that its virtual assistant Siri recorded conversations without users' consent. The lawsuit claims that the technology giant eavesdropped on customers and improperly shared their voice recordings for targeted advertising. Although the company denies any wrongdoing, this settlement comes in response to claims by lead plaintiff Fumiko Lopez, who alleges that both she and her daughter were recorded without their knowledge while discussing commercial products. This decision aims to avoid the complications of a trial after a year of controversial scrutiny surrounding privacy practices.
Apple has proposed a settlement decision date of February 14, 2025, in a Northern California court. This class action lawsuit represents not just the lead plaintiff but also other affected individuals who owned Siri-enabled devices between 2014 and 2019, potentially allowing claimants to receive up to $20 per device. The company has faced multiple class action cases in recent years relating to various customer complaints, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding its privacy policies and practices. Additionally, a similar lawsuit against Google's practices is currently underway in the same court, signaling a broader industry challenge related to user privacy.
