Additional Coverage:
- Millions of Apple device owners may be eligible for a payout in a proposed $95 million Siri privacy settlement (newsbreak.com)
Apple to Pay $95 Million for Siri Privacy Violations
Apple has agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging that its Siri voice assistant recorded private conversations without consent. The company will pay $95 million to class members, who may receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device.
Alleged Privacy Breach
The lawsuit claimed that Siri recorded private conversations when unintentionally activated and shared them with third parties. Apple has denied wrongdoing, but the settlement requires them to destroy any audio recordings collected before October 2019.
Settlement Details
Eligible class members include anyone in the US who owned a Siri-enabled device and believes their conversations were recorded. The amount of each payout will depend on the number of eligible devices owned and the total number of claimants.
Apple’s Response
Apple has apologized for “not living up to its high ideals” regarding Siri’s privacy. The company will publish information on how users can opt-in to improve Siri and confirm that it has deleted all recordings from before October 2019.
Future of Siri
Apple is currently developing a more advanced Siri that uses AI to understand personal context and screen awareness. The revamped Siri is expected to be released next year.