Apple has agreed to pay $95 million (approximately $152.9 million AUD) to settle a lawsuit claiming the company used its virtual assistant, Siri, to eavesdrop on users of its devices. This settlement, filed in Oakland, California, resolves a five-year legal battle addressing allegations that Siri was activated without user prompts, recording conversations for over a decade.
The lawsuit further contended that some of these recorded conversations were shared with advertisers to target consumers more effectively. These accusations stand in stark contrast to Apple’s public commitment to user privacy, as highlighted by CEO Tim Cook’s assertion of privacy as a fundamental human right.
The settlement is pending approval from US District Judge Jeffrey White, with a court hearing set for February 14. If approved, eligible consumers who owned Apple devices from September 17, 2014, to the end of 2022 may claim compensation of up to $20 (around $32 AUD) per covered device. However, it’s estimated that only 3 to 5 percent of eligible consumers are likely to file claims.
Despite the substantial settlement amount, it represents a fraction of Apple’s significant profits earned during the same period, and its legal team may claim up to $29.6 million (approximately $47.6 million AUD) from the settlement to cover their costs.