Apple Agrees to $95 Million Settlement Over Siri Privacy Violations

Apple Inc, which has focused on user privacy, agreed to a $95 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit that claims its voice-activated assistant, Siri, was recording users’ private conversations without their consent. The settlement comes after the users claimed that Siri inadvertently activated and recorded confidential discussions that were later shared with third parties, including advertisers.

Background of the Lawsuit

This case was filed in 2019 against Apple, claiming it breached users’ privacy as Siri would secretly record users. Plaintiffs argue that Siri activates many times without the “Hey, Siri” phrase, capturing private conversations. These activations cause a fear that the secret recordings are passed to advertisers and ads appear regarding what is discussed in private by users.

Read also: Sitemate Secures $27.5M to Revolutionize Heavy Industry Workflows

Settlement Details

• Settlement Amount: Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle the claims. That’s about the equivalent of nine hours of Apple’s profits, if one takes the company’s latest fiscal year’s net income into account – which stands at $93.74 billion.
• Class Period: It includes those who possessed Siri-enabled devices from 17 September 2014 up to and including 31 December 2024. This class period commences on the date when Siri made available the “Hey, Siri” functionality accused of allowing unsanctioned recordings to be made.
• Settlement Award: Consumers with valid claims can claim an award amount as high as $20 for up to five Siri-enabled devices per individual. The amount will be determined by how many claims have been filed.
• Legal Fees: The attorneys representing the plaintiffs are eligible to receive up to $28.5 million in fees and $1.1 million in expenses from the settlement fund.

While agreeing to the settlement, Apple has denied wrongdoing. The company says it respects user privacy and has implemented steps to prevent accidental Siri activations. Under the terms of the settlement, Apple is required to delete permanently any individual audio recordings the company collected that are relevant before October 2019 within six months of when the settlement was approved.

Consequences for Users

This settlement highlights the importance of user awareness about voice-activated assistants and their potential privacy implications. Users are encouraged to review their device settings to manage Siri’s activation and data sharing preferences. Apple provides options to disable Siri’s activation phrase and to manage the data Siri can access.

Industry-Wide Concerns

Apple is not alone in this issue. Other big techs such as Google face lawsuits for similar issues involving their voice assistants that accidentally record voices. This reflects a more profound industry-wide challenge between technological convenience and user privacy.

Future Perspective

As voice-activated technologies become more integrated into daily life, companies are expected to enhance transparency and control over data collection practices. Users should stay informed about their devices’ functionalities and exercise available privacy controls to protect their personal information.

Summary

Apple’s $95 million settlement is a stark reminder of the importance of user privacy in the digital age. The company has not admitted to any wrongdoing, but the settlement reflects its commitment to addressing user concerns and enhancing privacy protections in its products.

Source:Reuters