Apple Settles Siri Privacy Lawsuit for $95 Million Over Accidental Recordings

Apple has agreed to a $95 million settlement to compensate users whose conversations were unintentionally recorded by Siri and potentially overheard by human contractors.


According to Bloomberg, the settlement would provide up to $20 per device for U.S.-based Apple users who own up to five Siri-enabled devices, though the payout amount will depend on the number of claimants. The settlement still requires court approval.


If the deal is approved, it will cover users in the U.S. who owned or purchased a Siri-enabled device, such as an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, iMac, HomePod, iPod touch, or Apple TV, between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024. Additionally, claimants must attest under oath that they accidentally activated Siri during a private or confidential conversation. Depending on the number of valid claims, the final payout may be less than the $20 maximum per device.


The class action lawsuit stems from a 2019 report by The Guardian, which revealed that Apple contractors were regularly exposed to sensitive and confidential recordings, including medical details, drug transactions, and private conversations. While Siri is intended to be triggered by a specific wake word, a whistleblower revealed that accidental triggers were common, with even a simple sound like a zipper potentially activating the assistant. In response, Apple stated that only a small portion of Siri recordings were shared with contractors and later apologized, announcing that it would stop storing audio recordings.


One of the plaintiffs, who was a minor, claimed that their iPhone recorded multiple conversations through Siri, sometimes without any wake word being spoken.

Apple is not the only tech company accused of allowing contractors to listen to private recordings. Google and Amazon have also faced criticism for using contractors to listen to recorded conversations, including those captured by accident. Google is currently facing a similar lawsuit over the issue.