In January, Apple agreed to pay out $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit over claims its voice assistant Siri listened in on private conversations. Now, affected users have less than eight weeks to stake their claim to a slice of the cash.
The Lopez v Apple Inc. lawsuit was filed back in December, accusing Apple of recording private conversations as a result of unintended Siri activations, and then sharing that data with third parties. Two plaintiffs claim they had related advertisements served to them after having personal conversations about particular brands, with another alleging they received an ad for a medical treatment following a private discussion with a doctor.
This is not the first time Siri has been accused of eavesdropping. A whistleblower spoke to The Guardian about it in 2019, claiming external contractors assessing Siri’s effectiveness were able to listen in on everything from criminal dealings to sexual encounters.
Apple stopped using these third parties shortly after, and in settling this case, Apple also denies all wrongdoing here. An Apple spokesperson told WIRED in January that “Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose.”
That said, Apple clearly still wants the lawsuit to go away, and—under the settlement—owners or purchasers of Siri-enabled devices who have experienced an unintended Siri activation during a private conversation could be eligible for a payment of up to $100. Each person can submit a claim of up to $20 per device, for up to five devices.
The list of eligible devices includes iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch, iMac, HomePod, Apple TV, and iPod touch—but the devices must have been bought and used between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024. The lawsuit is for US owners only.
How to Claim
If you think you’re eligible for part of the payout, you must submit your claim before July 2, 2025. Some people will have received an email or postcard notifying them of their eligibility, along with a Claim Identification Code. If you did, then use this when applying. Otherwise, head to the webiste for the case website and use the Submit Claim page.
Start by choosing “New Claim.” You will need to submit your name and address, the email address associated with your Apple ID, and either a proof of purchase or the serial number and model name of each device you are claiming for.
You will have to declare that you experienced at least one unintended Siri activation during the stated window of time, and that at least one incident happened during a conversation intended to be “private or confidential.”
It’s worth noting that the payment amount per Siri device is capped at $20, but the amount claimants actually receive could be less depending on the number of valid claims submitted. The final approval hearing to decide on the final amounts will take place on August 1, 2025, when the court will decide if the claim is “fair, reasonable and adequate.”
Source: Wired
