Apple Siri listening incident compensation eligibility andclam claim guide
Update, Jan. 4, 2025: This article, initially published Jan. 3, includes additional details about who qualifies for compensation and how to deactivate Siri.
Apple consumers might soon be eligible for financial compensation due to a settlement agreement involving alleged Siri surveillance.
An interim settlement, submitted on Dec. 13, 2024 in Oakland, California, is pending approval from a U.S. district court judge, as per Reuters.
The lawsuit claims Apple violated user privacy by recording unintended Siri interactions and sharing the data with advertisers. The lawsuit dates back to 2019, when the U.K. newspaper The Guardian revealed that Apple employed freelancers to review Siri recordings featuring personal conversations like medical appointments, intimate encounters, and drug deals.
At the time, Apple acknowledged that Siri recordings could be listened to by humans, but failed to inform users about human oversight of the voice assistant. The new Siri related lawsuit alleges that Apple failed to inform users they were being recorded without consent.
In the latest Siri surveillance case, two plaintiffs alleged Siri displayed Air Jordan shoe advertisements after they mentioned the product. Another claimed they received medical advertisements following discussions about a specific surgical treatment with their doctor.
Who is eligible for payment following approval of the Siri surveillance settlement, and what steps can be taken to ensure privacy while utilizing Apple's voice assistant?
Who Could Be Eligible for the Siri Surveillance Payout?
Given the settlement's preliminary approval, it's likely that Siri users will be able to file a claim.
If you owned an Apple device with Siri activation between Sept. 17, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2024, you could be qualified to file a claim. Additionally, you must be based in the U.S. In order to receive a portion of the fee, you will need to affirm under oath that Siri was accidentally activated and your private conversations were recorded by the voice assistant.
Apple has set a potential judgment date of Feb. 14 in the Californian court.
Within 45 days, a website will be created to confirm eligibility, and you will have until May 15, 2025 to submit your claim.
How Much Will Apple Pay Siri Users?
Currently, Apple is projected to pay out $20 to Siri users, but the good news is that you can file a claim for each device used, up to five devices, totaling $100. The settlement payment could be higher based on the number of approved claims.
Where Will the Entire $95 Million Go?
The funds won't be entirely distributed to Apple Siri users. Legal fees and expenses will account for around $30 million of the total, as per reports.
This may appear to be a significant payout, but the impact on Apple's profits will be minimal. Apple reported $93.74 billion in revenue during its last fiscal year.
Should You Ditch Siri in Light of the Allegations?
It's crucial to note that Apple has not admitted wrongdoing in the Siri surveillance case. Furthermore, there isn't concrete evidence that Apple shared recordings with advertisers. Apple states that data is collected strictly to improve Siri and is anonymized, with no association to a specific user.
Apple maintains that it "continues to deny any and all alleged wrongdoing and liability, specifically denies each of the Plaintiffs' contentions and claims, and continues to deny that the Plaintiffs' claims and allegations would be suitable for class action status," according to the filing.
Apple is settling the Siri surveillance case to avoid extensive litigation expenses. Reports suggest that Apple could have been liable for $1.5 billion in damages if it lost the case.
The Apple Siri lawsuit is the latest class-action lawsuit against voice assistant spy claims. The same legal firm is also taking Google to task in a similar lawsuit.
I have inquired about additional comment from Apple and will update this article as soon as a response is received.
How to Deactivate Siri on an iPad or Mac
If privacy concerns arise, there are several ways to restrict Siri.
On iOS devices such as iPhone or iPad, disable Siri by going to Settings > Siri > Turn Off Siri.
You can also deactivate either Press Home for Siri or Press Side Button for Siri to prevent activation altogether.
On Mac devices, go to the Apple menu in the top left corner, then click System Settings > Siri & Spotlight, and toggle off Ask Siri.
The potential for spying can be alarming, but Apple offers numerous privacy settings to prevent Siri surveillance. Initially, Siri's data collection for analytics became opt-in only, a change made in 2019 afterwards the initial claims.
If you are deeply concerned about Siri surveillance, you could deactivate the voice assistant entirely. Some users remain uneasy about Apple's increasing use of artificial intelligence to bolster Siri.
The proposed Siri payout could be claimed by individuals who owned Apple devices with Siri activation between September 2014 and December 2024 and are based in the U.S., if their private conversations were inadvertently recorded by Siri. Siri eavesdropping payout claims can be filed within 45 days after a website for confirmation of eligibility is made available, and the deadline for submission is May 15, 2025. The lawsuit alleging Siri recording without consent, among other violations, is part of a larger class-action lawsuit against voice assistant spy claims, including one against Google by the same legal firm.
It's worth noting that deactivating Siri entirely remains an option for those concerned about potential spying. On iOS devices, users can disable Siri by going to Settings > Siri > Turn Off Siri or disabling Press Home for Siri or Press Side Button for Siri to prevent activation altogether. On Mac devices, deactivating Siri can be done by going to the Apple menu in the top left corner, then clicking System Settings > Siri & Spotlight and toggling off Ask Siri.
Following Apple's denial of any wrongdoing, Siri's data collection for analytics became opt-in only in 2019, addressing initial claims of spying. Despite the potential for spying causing concerns, Apple offers various privacy settings to minimize the risk of Siri eavesdropping.
