After agreeing to pay $95 million to resolve a lawsuit concerning its virtual assistant, Siri, Apple is making headlines. Siri may have violated California’s Invasion of Privacy Act and other consumer protection laws by listening in on private conversations without the user’s consent, according to the lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, users did not always need to speak the well-known “Hey Siri” command for Siri to activate and record conversations. Even worse, it was revealed that these inadvertent recordings were distributed to advertisers and other third parties. Apple decided to reach a settlement rather than fight the case to the end, even though the tech giant denies any wrongdoing.
Here are some essential details for Apple users. Between September 17, 2014, until December 31, 2024, U.S. residents who used Siri-enabled devices were covered by the settlement. For every Siri-enabled device you owned during this time, you can be eligible to receive up to $20. The maximum reimbursement is limited to five devices, however the payout per device is contingent on the number of claims filed.
A reminder of the expanding privacy concerns in the digital era is provided by this settlement. Though they make life easier, voice assistants like Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri also make us wonder how much of our personal lives we unintentionally reveal.
Apple’s settlement is still seeking approval from a federal judge, so stay tuned for updates. If authorized, eligible users can expect to file claims and receive their portion of the settlement.
So, if Siri has ever “butted in” on your private discussions, you could be able to receive some money!
