Apple has agreed to pay $95 million in cash to settle a class action lawsuit alleging that its Siri voice assistant was recording private conversations.
The initial settlement was filed Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, awaiting approval from a U.S. district judge.
The class action lawsuit alleged that Apple “frequently recorded” conversations following inadvertent activation of the voice assistant. Subsequently, these conversations were shared with third parties, including advertisers.
The plaintiffs said they were offered Air Jordan sneakers, dining experiences at the Olive Garden and even a specific brand of surgical treatment, which was reportedly discussed privately with a doctor.
The class period runs from September 17, 2014 to December 31, 2024, which is the entire time Siri has been part of the Apple ecosystem.
Class members will receive $20 for each Siri-enabled device, including iPhone and Apple Watch. Lawyers for the plaintiff provided no comment, and Apple denied any wrongdoing.
According to Reuters, the $95 million cash settlement equates to about nine hours of profit for Apple, as the company reported $93.74 billion in its latest fiscal year.
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