Apple settles Siri spying case for $95 million. You could be eligible for a payment
You may be eligible to receive a payment through a recent $95 million class action lawsuit if you've owned at least one Apple device since 2014. The lawsuit, Lopez v. Apple Inc., was filed in a California federal court in 2021 by users who allege their private conversations were being recorded by their Apple devices after unintentionally activating Siri, USA TODAY reported. Although a settlement has been reached, Apple has denied the allegations made in the complaint, according to the settlement website.
"If you owned or purchased a Siri-enabled device and experienced an unintended Siri activation during a confidential or private communication between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024, you should read this Notice as it may impact your legal rights," the website states.
Here's what New Yorkers should know about the settlement.
The lawsuit alleges that people's "confidential or private communications were allegedly obtained by Apple and/or shared with third parties as a result of an unintended Siri activation."
Siri, a voice assistant activated by saying "Hey, Siri," can set reminders, control smart home devices and make recommendations.
However, users in the class action lawsuit claim their Apple devices were recording them without their consent and subsequently sending their information to advertisers who used it to target them with online ads.
Users claimed they saw ads on their phones for specific brands after discussing them aloud, and others said their devices listened to them without them having said anything at all. The initial lawsuit, filed on March 17, 2021, cites a 2019 article from The Guardian that found Apple's third-party contractors regularly heard confidential information. At the time, Apple said only a small portion of data was shared to help improve Siri and dictation.
If you purchased or owned a Siri device in the U.S. or its territories between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024, enabled Siri on the device and experienced an unintended Siri activation during a confidential or private conversation, you could be eligible for compensation, according to the settlement website.
The following Siri-enabled devices qualify for the settlement:
iPhones
iPads
Apple Watches
MacBooks
iMacs
HomePod speakers
iPod Touches
Apple TV streaming boxes
You can submit claims for up to five Siri devices.
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Some individuals have received an email or postcard notifying them of the settlement with a claim identification code and confirmation code. If you've received that notice, you can use those codes when making your claim at lopezvoiceassistantsettlement.com/submit-claim.
However, you can still file a claim online if you haven't received those codes. You can also choose to opt out or object to the settlement.
If you want to file a claim, you'll have to do so by July 2, 2025.
It depends.
If you submit a valid claim, you could receive up to $20 per Siri device, the settlement website says. However, the amount is subject to change depending on the total number of valid claims submitted and devices claimed.
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It's a bit unclear right now.
There's a final approval hearing currently scheduled for Aug. 1 to decide whether the settlement will be approved. From there, the decision may be appealed, but if not, payments will be processed as soon as possible, according to the settlement website. For payment timeline updates, you can visit the website at lopezvoiceassistantsettlement.com.
Contributing: USA TODAY Network
Emily Barnes on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network's New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Apple settles Siri spying lawsuit. Here's how iPhone owners can submit a claim
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