Apple has agreed to pay $95 million (£77 million) to resolve a lawsuit that claims its devices listened to users without their consent.
The proposed settlement, filed Tuesday in a federal court in Oakland, California, would address a lawsuit that has been ongoing for five years.
The case centers on allegations that Apple secretly activated Siri to record conversations through iPhones and other devices with the virtual assistant for over a decade.
The lawsuit asserts that these recordings took place even when users did not activate Siri with the trigger phrase, “Hey, Siri.” Some of the conversations were reportedly shared with advertisers in an effort to target consumers with products tailored to their interests.
The accusations concerning Siri’s surveillance are in stark contrast to Apple’s long-standing commitment to user privacy, a stance often championed by CEO Tim Cook as a fight to preserve “a fundamental human right.”
While Apple is not admitting any wrongdoing in the settlement, it still requires approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White. A hearing is scheduled for February 14 in Oakland to review the terms of the deal.
If approved, the settlement would allow millions of consumers who owned iPhones and other Apple devices between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2023, to file claims. Each eligible consumer could receive up to $20 per device with Siri, though the final payment amount may vary depending on the number of claims filed. It is expected that only 3% to 5% of eligible consumers will submit claims.
