Apple has agreed to pay $95 million US to settle a lawsuit accusing the company of using its virtual assistant, Siri, to eavesdrop on users of its iPhone and other devices. The lawsuit, filed in an Oakland, Calif., federal court, alleged that Apple activated Siri to record conversations without users' knowledge, even when the virtual assistant had not been activated with the trigger words, "Hey, Siri."
The recordings were then allegedly shared with advertisers in an effort to target consumers with products and services. This contradicted Apple's long-standing commitment to protecting user privacy, which CEO Tim Cook has emphasized as a fundamental human right. The settlement, which is subject to approval by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, does not require Apple to admit any wrongdoing.
If approved, consumers who owned iPhones and other Apple devices from September 17, 2014, through the end of last year could file claims and receive up to $20 US per device covered by the settlement. However, only a small percentage of eligible consumers are expected to file claims. Eligible consumers will be limited to seeking compensation for a maximum of five devices.
The settlement amount of $95 million represents a small fraction of Apple's profits since September 2014, which total around $705 billion US. It is also significantly less than the estimated $1.5 billion that lawyers representing consumers had anticipated Apple could have been required to pay if found in violation of wiretapping and privacy laws.
The lawyers involved in the lawsuit may seek up to $29.6 million US from the settlement fund to cover their fees and expenses. A court hearing is scheduled for February 14 in Oakland to review the terms of the settlement.