'Hey Siri, Were You Listening?' Apple® Settles $95 Million Lawsuit

Have you ever wondered if your devices are secretly listening to your private conversations? According to a lawsuit, Apple’s Siri^® voice assistant may have done just that. Allegations emerged that Siri recorded users’ conversations without their knowledge, capturing sensitive moments like medical discussions, business deals, and even intimate encounters - sometimes triggered accidentally by sounds as mundane as a zipper. These claims led to a class-action lawsuit accusing Apple^® of violating privacy laws, and now, after a five-year legal battle, the company has agreed to pay $95 million to settle the case.

Accidental Activations and Sensitive Data

The 2019 lawsuit alleged that Siri frequently recorded users without being prompted by the wake phrase “Hey Siri.” Accidental activations were reportedly common on devices like Apple Watches and HomePods, which sometimes mistook noises - like the sound of a zipper - for the wake command. A whistleblower told The Guardian, “The regularity of accidental triggers on the watch is incredibly high,” adding that these recordings often included sensitive conversations between doctors and patients, business deals, and even “people engaging in sexual acts.”

What’s more, some recordings allegedly contained user data, such as names, locations, and contact details. “It wouldn’t be hard to identify [people on the recordings],” the whistleblower said, raising concerns about how such data could be misused.

Apple’s Denial and Privacy Commitments

Apple denies any wrongdoing, insisting that user privacy has always been a priority. “Siri has been engineered to protect user privacy from the beginning,” an Apple spokesperson told PEOPLE. “Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose.”

Apple also stated that only a small fraction - less than 1% - of daily Siri activations are analyzed, and those recordings are pseudonymized. The company said it settled the lawsuit to avoid further litigation, emphasizing that changes made in 2019 already addressed the concerns raised in the lawsuit.

Settlement Details

The $95 million settlement, filed in federal court in Oakland, California, still requires approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White. If approved, the settlement will cover U.S. users who owned Siri-enabled devices between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024. Eligible consumers can submit claims for up to $20 per device, with a maximum of five devices per person.

While the settlement offers some compensation, it’s a drop in the bucket for Apple, which has made $705 billion in profits since 2014. Attorneys in the case are seeking $29.6 million from the settlement fund to cover their fees.

Larger Privacy Concerns

Apple has long marketed itself as a champion of user privacy, often contrasting its policies with competitors like Amazon^® and Google^®. But the allegations about Siri undermine that image. For example, Apple contractors tasked with improving Siri’s functionality reportedly reviewed user recordings without explicit disclosure. “There’s not much vetting of who works there, and the amount of data that we’re free to look through seems quite broad,” the whistleblower told The Guardian.

Unlike Amazon and Google, which offer options to disable human review of voice recordings, Apple provides no such choice - short of turning off Siri altogether. The whistleblower argued that Apple’s lack of transparency is at odds with its public image, suggesting users simply ask Siri, “Are you always listening?” and it’ll respond, “I only listen when you’re talking to me.” According to the whistleblower, that is “patently false,” as reported by The Guardian.

What Happens Next?

The settlement will be reviewed in a court hearing scheduled for Feb. 14, 2025. If approved, it will allow Apple to close the chapter on this lawsuit without admitting fault. However, the case serves as a reminder of the growing tension between convenience and privacy in the age of smart technology.

As Apple continues to develop its devices and voice assistants, the balance between user functionality and data security remains under scrutiny. For now, users concerned about their privacy may want to rethink how often they rely on Siri.

References: Apple to Pay $95M to Settle Lawsuit Accusing Siri of Spying | Apple to pay $95 million to settle lawsuit accusing Siri of eavesdropping | Apple contractors ‘regularly hear confidential details’ on Siri recordings