Apple to pay $95 million to settle Siri privacy breach lawsuit, users unimpressed
Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging that its voice assistant, Siri, recorded private conversations without consent and shared the data with third parties. The lawsuit, Lopez et al v. Apple Inc, claimed Siri frequently activated unintentionally and recorded conversations, sometimes triggered by non-verbal cues like the sound of a zipper or a user raising their arms.
The proposed settlement, filed in California, covers Siri-enabled device users in the US between 2014 and 2024, though Apple has denied any wrongdoing.
According to the suit, the smartphone giant violated the Wiretap Act and California’s Invasion of Privacy Act by allegedly using accidental Siri recordings to target ads. Some plaintiffs claimed they received ads suspiciously aligned with private conversations, such as one user who discussed medication with their doctor and later saw ads for it online.
All this is despite Apple’s longstanding marketing campaigns emphasizing user privacy. The company’s slogan in 2018 was, “Privacy. That’s iPhone”
The settlement includes provisions for claimants to receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, capped at five devices. However, most users will likely receive far less with attorney fees and administrative costs factored in.
Apple’s response and user dissatisfaction
Apple denied the allegations but agreed to delete any Siri recordings collected without consent and clarify how Siri manages user data. Still, privacy advocates argue this falls short of restoring user trust.
Apple’s $394 billion annual revenue dwarfs the $95 million payout, raising questions about how seriously the company takes its privacy promises. Critics see the settlement as more of a symbolic gesture than a meaningful resolution.
Ivan Novikov, CEO at Wallarm summed up the broader sentiment perfectly. In a LinkedIn post, he wrote, "Apple, a tech giant synonymous with “privacy,” has settled a $95 million lawsuit over Siri allegedly recording private conversations without consent and sharing them with third parties. The settlement covers U.S. users of Siri-enabled devices from 2014 to 2024. Here’s the shocker: with over 660 million global Siri users (as of 2020), Apple’s payout values your privacy at less than $0.15 per user,"
"Privacy isn’t a feature to be marketed—it’s a fundamental right. Apple’s actions show that despite their slogans, you’re part of a larger ecosystem where privacy comes second to profits. The question now is: What will you do to protect your own privacy?"
