Apple Settles Siri Privacy Lawsuit for $95 Million

Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a five-year-old lawsuit alleging that its virtual assistant Siri recorded users' private conversations without consent, often activating without the trigger phrase 'Hey, Siri.' The proposed settlement, pending approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, could provide up to $20 per device to tens of millions of eligible consumers who owned Siri-enabled devices between September 2014 and December 2024. The lawsuit claimed that some recorded conversations were shared with advertisers, contradicting Apple's commitment to user privacy, which CEO Tim Cook has framed as a fundamental human right. Although Apple denies any wrongdoing, the settlement is seen as an effort to regain user trust amidst ongoing concerns about privacy practices in the tech industry. Legal fees for the lawyers representing the plaintiffs may take a significant portion of the settlement, estimated at $28.5 million. The $95 million payout is a small fraction of Apple's overall profits, raising questions about the adequacy of corporate accountability in privacy matters.