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‘Hey, Siri, How Much Do I Get as Part of Apple’s Privacy Settlement?’
You have until July 2 to claim $95 million in restitution for users of a wide variety of Apple devices
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Eligible owners of iPhones and other devices with Apple’s voice activated digital assistant Siri can now claim their piece of a $95 million class action settlement between the company and users, who said their privacy was violated.
A Northern California federal judge had given preliminary approval of the settlement in February, but the ability to file a claim has just opened up.
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The legal dispute has lasted more than five years. The lawsuit alleges that Siri, without a person’s consent, recorded private and confidential conversations and shared those conversations with third parties who transcribed the audio to improve Apple’s dictation.
Related: How to Use Your Voice to Control Your Smartphone
Expected payout is $20 per qualified Apple device
Apple customers receive a maximum of $20 for each of five qualifying devices with the actual amount depending on how many people file a claim. Owners and users of the Siri-enabled devices would have had to experience an “unintended activation” during a class period between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024.
You might receive an email or postcard notification that you are possibly eligible for a payment. But with or without a notice, you have until July 2, 2025, to submit a valid claim form online or by mail. Forms are available at a dedicated settlement website.
If you do receive a payment, you give up all other rights to pursue further legal action about the problem. Although you can submit a claim now, final approval is still pending an Aug. 1 court hearing.
Apple launched the “Hey, Siri” feature on the earlier date as part of its iOS 8 software update that let someone wake a device with Siri by uttering those trigger words.
“The estimated settlement class size is expected to be substantial” and a notice will be sent to customers with Siri-capable devices, which in addition to the iPhone, include Apple TVs, Apple Watches, HomePods, iPads, iPod Touches and Macs, according to court documents. Unknown is the percentage of Apple users who may have experienced an unauthorized activation, and estimates are 3 percent to 5 percent of people eligible will file a claim.
Apple admitted no wrongdoing despite agreeing to the settlement.
Class actions are legal procedures that allow one or a small number of plaintiffs to pursue a case on behalf of a larger group or class of people. Attorney fees reduce the size of the overall settlement.
Related: Apple Warning: Don’t Sleep With Your iPhone
$20M settlement for Apple Watch users
The Siri case isn’t the only recent class action Apple has been embroiled in. Apple agreed to pay $20 million to settle a case involving the first generation, and Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3 Apple Watch models alleging that the batteries in them swelled, causing the devices to malfunction. The company again admitted no wrongdoing.
The class period in this case is April 24, 2015, to Feb. 6, 2024. Eligible consumers had until April 10 to confirm or update their payment information.
The estimated payout is $20 to $50. A watch settlement website has more details.
Large as these settlement sizes are, the sums pale next to the $725 million Facebook agreed to pay in 2023 to settle its own privacy class action dispute.
This story, originally published Feb. 14, 2025, has been updated with information about agreement to the settlement.
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