iPhone Users Get $95M Siri Privacy Payouts
▼ Summary
– Apple settled a class action lawsuit alleging it unlawfully recorded Siri conversations, a claim the company denies.
– The settlement, dating back to a 2019 issue, required users to have owned a Siri device from 2014-2024 and experienced an unintended activation.
– Eligible claimants could submit up to five devices, with payouts being distributed at approximately $8.02 per device, lower than initial estimates.
– The lawsuit originated from reports that contractors overheard private conversations during Siri quality grading, though Apple states this involved less than 1% of interactions.
– Apple has since changed its practices, now requiring user opt-in for such recordings and no longer using contractors for this service.
A recent development in a long-running privacy case means some iPhone users are now receiving payments directly into their accounts. The settlement stems from a class action lawsuit alleging that Apple’s Siri voice assistant recorded conversations without proper consent. While the company denies any legal wrongdoing, it agreed to a $95 million settlement to resolve the claims. Eligible users who filed claims are now seeing deposits, with amounts per device coming in lower than initial estimates.
The case originated from a 2019 report by The Guardian, which revealed that Apple contractors, tasked with grading Siri’s responses for quality assurance, were at times overhearing private conversations. These incidents often occurred due to unintended Siri activations, where the assistant was triggered accidentally, recording audio without the user’s knowledge. Apple maintained that less than one percent of daily Siri interactions were reviewed and that these recordings were never linked to user accounts or used for marketing. However, the potential for private moments to be overheard raised significant privacy concerns.
To qualify for a payment, individuals needed to have owned a Siri-enabled Apple device, such as an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, purchased between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024. Claimants also had to attest to experiencing an accidental activation of the voice assistant. Participants could submit claims for up to five devices. Initial projections suggested payments could reach $20 per device, but the final payout appears to be approximately $8.02 per device, with a maximum of $40.10 for those who claimed the full five devices.
Direct deposits for approved claims began processing very recently. Users who selected this electronic payment method should check their bank or payment app accounts. Those who opted for a prepaid gift card or a physical check should monitor their email inbox, including spam folders, and their postal mail for delivery. Social media posts from recipients have already begun surfacing, showing the unexpected deposits.
In response to the controversy, Apple has implemented several privacy enhancements for Siri. The company no longer retains audio recordings by default for grading purposes. Users must now explicitly opt-in to share Siri interactions for quality control, and Apple has brought the grading process in-house, ending its use of external contractors. These changes aim to provide greater transparency and user control over what data is shared and how it is handled.
The settlement closes a chapter on this particular privacy issue, though it underscores the ongoing balance tech companies must strike between improving services and safeguarding user data. For those who participated, a small financial acknowledgment is now arriving, marking the conclusion of a legal process that began over concerns about unintended listening in the home.
(Source: 9to5Mac)
