Apple Provides $95 Million to Resolve Allegations of Unauthorized Listening through Siri
In a shocking turn of events, a class-action lawsuit has been filed against Apple, alleging that the tech giant's voice-activated assistant, Siri, surreptitiously recorded users' private conversations without their consent[1][2]. This alleged covert recording occurred over a decade, predominantly through iPhones and other Siri-enabled devices.
The lawsuit claims that some of these unauthorized recordings were then shared with advertisers, enabling targeted advertisements based on consumers’ private discussions. For instance, one plaintiff reported receiving advertisements for Air Jordan sneakers, Pit Viper sunglasses, and Olive Garden restaurants after discussing these products[1][2]. Another plaintiff reported targeted advertisements for a brand name surgical treatment after discussing it with their doctor[1][2].
This allegation contrasts sharply with Apple’s public stance on privacy, where CEO Tim Cook has emphasized privacy as a "fundamental human right." The lawsuit has been filed as a class action in federal court in Oakland, California, covering a period from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024[1][2].
Apple denies wrongdoing but agreed to a $95 million settlement to resolve the case[1][2]. The terms of the proposed settlement permit Apple to deny any and all wrongdoing, including the lawsuit's claims about recording, disclosing, or failing to delete conversations[1][2].
The lawsuit alleges that Siri can be activated by various sounds, including the sound of a zip or an individual raising their arms and speaking[1][2]. Once activated, Siri records everything within range of the Siri Devices' microphone and sends it to Apple's servers[1][2].
The regularity of triggers on Siri devices such as the Apple watch is 'incredibly high.' Despite this, Apple has no system in place to deal with accidental recordings[1][2]. Despite Apple contractors reviewing Siri recordings, the lawsuit claims that Apple never made a good-faith effort to rectify widespread problems, including accidental activations[1][2].
Settlement documents indicate that, if the agreement is approved, each class member could be paid up to $20 for each Siri-enabled device owned between 2014 and 2019[1][2]. The $95 million settlement is equivalent to about nine hours of profit for Apple, whose net income was $93.74 billion in its latest fiscal year[1][2].
[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-settles-siri-privacy-lawsuit-for-95-million-2022-08-18 [2] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/18/apple-to-pay-95-million-to-settle-siri-privacy-lawsuit.html
- The lawsuit against Apple, centered around Siri's privacy issues, suggests that Apple might have shared personal-finance related discussions with advertisers, potentially enabling targeted ads for financial products or services based on consumers' private conversations.
- The $95 million settlement reached between Apple and the class action lawsuit plaintiffs, involving Siri privacy breaches, could be compared to approximately nine hours of Apple's latest fiscal year net income, signifying a minor financial impact for the tech giant.
