Craig Federighi, Apple's senior VP for Software Engineering, discussed updates to Siri during Apple's product announcements at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, California, on June 4, 2018. The event was photographed by Marcio Jose Sanchez for the Associated Press.



Apple, a company known for its emphasis on user privacy, has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit accusing its virtual assistant, Siri, of secretly recording private conversations. The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Oakland, California, alleged that Siri’s recordings often occurred unintentionally, even when users hadn’t activated it with the usual "Hey, Siri" command.
The case, which spanned five years, raised concerns about how Apple handled privacy. The allegations claimed that these unintended recordings were not only stored but also shared with advertisers, enabling them to target consumers more effectively. This practice, if true, stands in stark contrast to Apple’s public image as a champion of data privacy, with CEO Tim Cook often describing it as a “fundamental human right.”

The settlement, filed on Tuesday, is not an admission of guilt by Apple. Instead, the tech giant opted to resolve the matter out of court. The settlement terms still require approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, with a hearing scheduled for February 14 in Oakland to finalize the agreement.

If approved, millions of Apple users who owned Siri-enabled devices between September 17, 2014, and the end of 2023 will be eligible for compensation. These consumers may receive up to $20 per device, with a maximum of five devices per person qualifying for claims. However, the actual payout per device could vary based on how many people file claims. Historically, courts estimate that only 3-5% of eligible individuals are likely to participate in such settlements.

The settlement amount is a minuscule fraction of Apple’s financial strength. Since 2014, the company has earned over $705 billion in profits. Even if all eligible consumers file claims, the payout would barely dent Apple’s earnings. By contrast, the attorneys representing consumers had estimated that Apple could have faced penalties exceeding $1.5 billion had the case gone to trial and resulted in a ruling against the company for wiretapping violations.

Part of the $95 million settlement, approximately $29.6 million, may go toward covering legal fees and other costs incurred by the attorneys who filed the lawsuit.

This case has highlighted concerns about the balance between convenience and privacy in modern technology. Virtual assistants like Siri are designed to make life easier, but incidents like these raise questions about the hidden costs of such features. Critics argue that even unintentional recordings can erode trust between users and companies claiming to safeguard their data.

Despite the settlement, Apple’s reputation as a privacy-focused company remains largely intact. However, the case serves as a reminder to consumers to stay vigilant and review privacy settings on their devices.

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 0 / 5. Vote count: 0

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

You may also like

EV Interest Dips Among Canadians for Third Year Straight

A recent AutoTrader survey reveals that interest in electric vehicles (EVs) among Canadians is steadily declining, despite a noticeable drop....

Nations Boost Digital Defences as Cyber Threats Grow

In a troubling sign of the times, hackers backed by Russia’s government infiltrated a water facility in the small Texas....

Google to Challenge Part of US Court's Ruling in Monopoly Case

Google, part of Alphabet Inc., has announced plans to appeal a portion of the recent court ruling in the ongoing....

Google Faces £5B UK Lawsuit Over Search Engine Control

Google is now facing a massive £5 billion lawsuit in the United Kingdom, accusing the tech giant of using its....

Meta CEO Zuckerberg eyed Instagram split in 2018, email reveals

According to an internal email revealed during an ongoing antitrust trial, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg considered splitting Instagram from Facebook....

Meta’s Monopoly Trial Begins: What’s at Stake for Instagram and WhatsApp

In a major legal showdown, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared in court on Monday as part of a historic antitrust....

 Future Legislation Must Address AI’s Role in News Compensation

As the media landscape evolves, researchers in Canada suggest future laws aimed at balancing the power between tech giants and....

Ireland Investigates Musk’s X Over AI Data Collection Practices

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s platform X, formerly known as Twitter, over....

Google Cuts Prices for U.S. Government to Compete with Microsoft

In a bold move to expand its presence in the public sector, Google is now offering deep discounts on its....

Alphabet Sticks to $75B Spending Plan Amid Tariff Concerns

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has confirmed its decision to invest a staggering $75 billion in 2025, mainly to....

TSMC Faces Over $1B Fine Over Huawei Chip Link: US Probe

Taiwan’s leading chipmaker, TSMC, may be hit with a fine of over $1 billion after a U.S. investigation revealed one....

Shopify CEO: AI Skills Now a Must for All Employees

Shopify is taking artificial intelligence more seriously than ever before. In a recent internal memo, CEO Tobi Lütke told employees....