Did Apple's Siri eavesdrop on your iPhone or NJ home? See if you are owed money

Yahoo

09-05-2025

If you owned an Apple device with Siri in the last decade, you may be owed part of a $95 million class-action lawsuit that accused its voice assistant of spying on users via their iPhones, watches, iPads and more.
The lawsuit, Lopez v. Apple, was filed in a California court by users who claimed their conversations were being recorded by their Apple devices after unintentionally activating Siri, Apple's voice assistant. Apple agreed to the settlement but denied any wrongdoing.
Being that Apple is the largest tech company in the world, it's possible your New Jersey home may have a Siri-enabled device, or your watch or cell phone uses the digital assistant. Here's what to know about the settlement, and if you are owed money.
Voice assistants like Siri — which is activated saying "Hey, Siri" — can set reminders, control smart home devices and make recommendations. But users alleged in the class action suit they were routinely recorded by their Apple devices without their consent, and that information was then sold to advertisers and used to target them with online ads.
Users claimed they saw ads on their phones for specific brands after having discussed them out loud, and others said their devices listened to them without them having said anything at all. The initial lawsuit cites a 2019 article from The Guardian that found Apple third-party contractors regularly heard confidential information. Apple said at the time only a small portion of data was shared to help improve Siri and dictation.
The eligibility requirements are broad but are open to anyone who owned or purchased a Siri-enabled device between Sept. 17, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2024. To opt in, you will have to swear under oath you experienced an unintended Siri activation that occurred while you were having a private conversation. Here are the Siri-enables devices included:
iPhones
iPads
Apple Watches
MacBooks
iMacs
Apple TV streaming boxes
HomePod speakers
iPod Touches
A website, Lopez Voice Assistant Settlement, has been launched where Apple customers claim a portion of the settlement. Some users received an email or postcard with a claim identification code and confirmation code that can be used to make the claim. If not, you can still submit a claim online.
The deadline to submit a claim is July 2, 2025.
Payments for each device is capped at $20, though it may be less depending on the total number of claims submitted. Each individual can claim payments for up to five devices, so the maximum payout for each person is $100. Here's how to submit a claim. It is unclear when payments will be sent; a final court hearing is tentatively set for Aug. 1, 2025 to approve the settlement. If approved and there are no appeals, payments will be processed ASAP, according to the website. Check the website for updates.
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement; see if you can get cash