Apple’s Siri Eavesdropping Settlement: $95 Million Payout and How to Claim Your Share
Apple is facing the aftermath of a privacy lawsuit involving its voice assistant, Siri, and now users may be eligible to receive compensation. The tech giant has agreed to a $95 million settlement in response to a class-action lawsuit, which claims that Apple violated privacy by listening to users' Siri conversations without consent. If you’ve owned a Siri-enabled Apple device between September 2014 and December 2024, you could be entitled to a payout of up to $100. Here’s what you need to know about the settlement and how to file your claim.
The lawsuit, initially filed in 2019, centered around allegations that Apple had been secretly recording users' conversations via Siri, particularly when the voice assistant was unintentionally activated. These recordings were allegedly shared with third-party contractors, raising serious privacy concerns. The most troubling part? The plaintiffs argue that Apple did not inform users that Siri could be listening to their private conversations, including sensitive discussions about medical conditions and personal matters. In one example cited, a user found that they were targeted with ads for a product they had mentioned in an accidental Siri conversation.
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Although Apple denies any wrongdoing, the company chose to settle the case to avoid lengthy litigation, which could have resulted in far larger damages. The settlement, which still requires final approval from a U.S. district judge, will provide compensation to eligible Siri users. If you meet the criteria—having used a Siri-enabled device in the specified timeframe, and if Siri activated unintentionally and recorded private conversations—you could receive a payout of $20 per device, up to a total of $100 for multiple devices. This offer comes as part of a broader effort to make amends after concerns over privacy violations were raised in 2019.
To claim your share of the settlement, you must file a claim through an official website, which will be launched in the coming weeks. You’ll have until May 15, 2025, to submit your request. Alongside the payout, Apple will continue to work on strengthening its privacy policies, but users concerned about privacy may still want to disable Siri altogether or adjust their settings to limit data collection.
This settlement highlights the growing tension between tech companies and privacy rights, with Siri not being the only voice assistant facing such scrutiny. Google is also in the crosshairs over similar allegations of eavesdropping. While Apple has not admitted to selling user data or intentionally violating privacy, the settlement serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding personal information in the digital age.
So, if you’ve been affected by Siri’s unexpected listening, make sure you check if you qualify for the payout. The deadline is coming soon, and a claim could help offset the privacy concerns raised by this case. If you're uncomfortable with the possibility of Siri eavesdropping, take the necessary steps to disable it on your device.
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