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Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that its voice assistant, Siri, recorded users without their consent. The lawsuit, filed in 2019, claimed that Siri would sometimes activate by spontaneously, capturing private conversations when it misheard its wake phrase (“Hey Siri”).
The Lawsuit’s Claims
The plaintiffs argued that Apple:
- Illegally recorded confidential conversations.
- Failed to properly disclose how user data was used.
- Permitted sharing user recordings with third parties for “service improvements” under its terms of service.
California Privacy Laws at Stake
The lawsuit accused Apple of breaking multiple California privacy laws, including the Invasion of Privacy Act and the Unfair Competition Law.
Apple’s Response
Although Apple hasn’t admitted wrongdoing, the company has taken steps to address concerns. In 2019, Apple took two significant steps toward aligning with privacy regulations.
- It paused a program where contractors reviewed Siri recordings to improve accuracy.
- The company added an opt-out feature for users who didn’t want their audio used for training.
What’s Next?
The settlement still needs court approval. If finalized, it will mark another costly privacy-related resolution for Apple. The outcome gives users more control over their data but raises questions about tech companies’ handling of user information.
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Final Notes
The lawsuit against Apple started after a bombshell 2019 report from The Guardian, which revealed that third-party contractors hired to improve Siri’s accuracy were sometimes hearing way more than they ought to. These include people’s medical details, drug deals, and even intimate moments between couples.
Siri is supposed to activate only when you say “Hey Siri”, but according to a whistleblower, false triggers happen too frequently. Even the slightest noise sometimes sets it off. Apple responded by saying only a tiny fraction of recordings were reviewed by contractors. However, after the backlash, the company publicly apologized and took steps to resolve the issue.
Apple has faced lawsuits from several quarters including a minor who claimed their iPhones secretly recorded them through Siri, sometimes even when they hadn’t said a word.
