For millions of iPhone and Apple Watch users, a recent lawsuit settlement could mean a small payout. Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company's practices concerning Siri recordings violated user privacy and contributed to targeted advertising.
The lawsuit, filed in 2019, claimed that Apple unlawfully recorded user interactions with Siri without explicit consent and shared this data with third-party contractors, including advertisers. According to a report from The Guardian, the recordings included sensitive information such as medical details, business deals, and even sexual encounters.
The lawsuit also argued that Apple did not adequately inform users about the extent to which Siri recordings were collected and used. While Siri can be activated with a wake word like "Hey Siri" or by holding down the side button on an iPhone, the lawsuit claimed that Siri was also passively listening to users' conversations and recording snippets when unintentionally activated.
Apple has stated that any Siri recordings were anonymized and used solely to improve the virtual assistant's performance. However, the lawsuit argued that this explanation was insufficient and that users should have a clear choice to opt in or out of Siri recording altogether.
In response to these concerns, Apple suspended the Siri grading program and implemented changes, including no longer retaining audio recordings by default. The company also allowed users to opt out of sharing their Siri recordings and to delete existing recordings.
While the settlement isn't an admission of wrongdoing by Apple, it provides compensation to users potentially affected by these practices. The settlement covers the period from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024. According to Reuters, individual users could receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device they own, potentially reaching tens of millions of users.
The Siri privacy lawsuit settlement serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency for tech companies. Users deserve to fully understand what data is being collected and how it is used. This case also highlights the need for stronger user controls over virtual assistant data collection. As virtual assistants become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, ensuring user privacy will remain a critical issue.
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