Apple to pay $95 million settlement over unauthorized Siri recordings class action
Users alleged that iPhones and other Apple devices recorded private conversations without consent between 2014-2024.
On January 3, 2025, Apple agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging that Siri-enabled devices recorded users' private conversations without consent. According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the settlement addresses claims spanning from September 2014 to December 2024.
The lawsuit, initially filed in August 2019, claimed that Apple's voice assistant Siri recorded confidential communications without users' knowledge or permission. According to the preliminary settlement documents, affected devices include iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, MacBooks, iMacs, HomePods, iPod touches, and Apple TVs equipped with Siri functionality.
The $95 million settlement fund will provide payments to eligible class members who experienced unauthorized Siri recordings during private conversations. According to the settlement agreement, class members may submit claims for up to five Siri devices, with compensation capped at $20 per device. The final payment amounts will be determined based on the total number of valid claims submitted.
The settlement administrator, Angeion Group, estimates a claim rate between 3-5% based on their experience with similar consumer data privacy settlements. After deducting administrative costs estimated at $5.97 million (6.3% of the settlement amount), attorney fees up to 30% ($28.5 million), and litigation expenses not exceeding $1.1 million, the remaining funds will be distributed to eligible claimants.
According to the court filings, the privacy concerns emerged when Siri began incorporating the voice-triggered "Hey Siri" feature in 2014. The lawsuit alleged that Siri devices could be activated by various unintended triggers, including the sound of a zipper or someone raising their arms while speaking.
A 2019 whistleblower report cited in the lawsuit revealed that Apple contractors regularly reviewed Siri recordings for quality assurance purposes. These recordings allegedly included confidential medical information, business dealings, and intimate moments captured without users' knowledge when Siri was inadvertently activated.
While denying any wrongdoing, Apple has agreed to implement additional privacy measures as part of the settlement. According to the settlement agreement, Apple will:
- Confirm the permanent deletion of individual Siri audio recordings collected prior to October 2019
- Publish detailed information about the opt-in process for Siri improvement features
- Provide clearer explanations about what information Apple stores from users who choose to participate in Siri improvements
The case highlights the broader privacy implications of voice assistant technology. In 2018, Apple's CEO Tim Cook criticized other tech companies for conducting "surveillance" and prioritizing profits over privacy. According to court documents, Apple had previously assured Congress in 2018 that "iPhone doesn't listen to consumers except to recognize the clear, unambiguous audio trigger 'Hey Siri.'"
The settlement class includes U.S. residents who owned or purchased Siri-enabled devices between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024. According to the preliminary approval motion, the court will hold a final approval hearing on February 14, 2025.
The plaintiffs are represented by multiple law firms, including Lowey Dannenberg, P.C. and Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP. According to court documents, the attorneys have invested approximately $17.7 million in legal work on the case, with the requested fee award representing a 1.6 multiplier on their base fees.
This settlement joins several other major privacy-related settlements in recent years. According to court filings, comparable settlements include:
- Facebook's $725 million privacy settlement
- Oracle's $115 million data privacy settlement
- Google's $100 million privacy litigation resolution
- TikTok's $92 million privacy settlement
The settlement amount represents approximately nine hours of profit for Apple, based on the company's $93.74 billion net income in its latest fiscal year, according to the court documents.