Apple offers to settle 'snooping Siri' lawsuit for an utterly incredible $95M
(2025/01/02)
- Reference: 1735852510
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/01/02/apple_siri_lawsuit/
- Source link:
Apple has filed a proposed settlement in California suggesting it will pay $95 million to settle claims that Siri recorded owners' conversations without consent and allowed contractors to listen in.
The class-action case, Lopez et al v. Apple Inc , was brought after a whistleblower at Cupertino [1]alleged in 2019 that Siri was listening in on audio conversations without the requisite "Hey Siri" spoken command or manually activating the voice assistant. Court [2]filings [PDF] reference that California requires consent from both parties for recordings.
"A small portion of Siri requests are analysed to improve Siri and dictation," Apple said at the time. "User requests are not associated with the user’s Apple ID. Siri responses are analysed in secure facilities and all reviewers are under the obligation to adhere to Apple’s strict confidentiality requirements."
[3]
In 2018, Tim Cook and his team were marketing Apple as big on privacy, with the slogan “Privacy. That’s iPhone,” although this offer obviously didn't apply for its Chinese customers. After being questioned about privacy in a letter from Congress, Cook stated unequivocally that Apple doesn't collect audio recordings of users without consent.
[4]
[5]
"Far from requiring a 'clear, unambiguous trigger' as Apple claimed in its response to Congress, Siri can be activated by nearly anything, including '[t]he sound of a zip' or an individual raising their arms and speaking," the complaint reads. "Once activated, Siri records everything within range of the Siri Devices’ microphone and sends it to Apple’s servers."
[6]Academics probe Apple's privacy settings and get lost and confused
[7]The Register meets the voice of Siri Down Under
[8]Apple debuts iPhone 16, Watch Series 10, assorted AirPods
[9]Apple ropes off at least 4 GB of iPhone storage to house AI
Some plaintiffs also [10]reportedly claim that the data harvested from their conversations was used to target ads, again without consent. One user claims that they received adverts for a specific medication after discussing the topic with their doctor.
The proposed class action could include anyone who owned a Siri-equipped device and was recorded without their consent since 2011. Given the broad eligibility criteria, the proposed settlement could involve many claimants, potentially diluting individual payouts.
Apple reported $93.7 billion in net income last year, so $95 million is a rounding error on the books.
[11]
The iBiz had no comment on the current situation at the time of going to press and the settlement does not require Apple to admit any wrongdoing.
Google is also facing a [12]similar lawsuit after Belgian journalists reportedly found that the Chocolate Factory's Assistant was also listening in without authorization. That case is still unresolved, and a German investigation into the matter is also ongoing. ®
Get our [13]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2019/08/02/apple_siri_no_conversations/
[2] https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/01/02/siri.pdf
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Z3cakh54Ytz0ztFCF7VLhAAAAAc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z3cakh54Ytz0ztFCF7VLhAAAAAc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z3cakh54Ytz0ztFCF7VLhAAAAAc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/05/apple_apps_privacy_study/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/30/karen_jacobsen_siri_interview/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/09/apple_phone_16_watch_10_intelligence/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/25/apple_4gb_ai/
[10] https://www.reuters.com/legal/apple-pay-95-million-settle-siri-privacy-lawsuit-2025-01-02/
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z3cakh54Ytz0ztFCF7VLhAAAAAc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2019/08/02/germany_probes_google_over_privacy_of_voice_recordings/
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The class-action case, Lopez et al v. Apple Inc , was brought after a whistleblower at Cupertino [1]alleged in 2019 that Siri was listening in on audio conversations without the requisite "Hey Siri" spoken command or manually activating the voice assistant. Court [2]filings [PDF] reference that California requires consent from both parties for recordings.
"A small portion of Siri requests are analysed to improve Siri and dictation," Apple said at the time. "User requests are not associated with the user’s Apple ID. Siri responses are analysed in secure facilities and all reviewers are under the obligation to adhere to Apple’s strict confidentiality requirements."
[3]
In 2018, Tim Cook and his team were marketing Apple as big on privacy, with the slogan “Privacy. That’s iPhone,” although this offer obviously didn't apply for its Chinese customers. After being questioned about privacy in a letter from Congress, Cook stated unequivocally that Apple doesn't collect audio recordings of users without consent.
[4]
[5]
"Far from requiring a 'clear, unambiguous trigger' as Apple claimed in its response to Congress, Siri can be activated by nearly anything, including '[t]he sound of a zip' or an individual raising their arms and speaking," the complaint reads. "Once activated, Siri records everything within range of the Siri Devices’ microphone and sends it to Apple’s servers."
[6]Academics probe Apple's privacy settings and get lost and confused
[7]The Register meets the voice of Siri Down Under
[8]Apple debuts iPhone 16, Watch Series 10, assorted AirPods
[9]Apple ropes off at least 4 GB of iPhone storage to house AI
Some plaintiffs also [10]reportedly claim that the data harvested from their conversations was used to target ads, again without consent. One user claims that they received adverts for a specific medication after discussing the topic with their doctor.
The proposed class action could include anyone who owned a Siri-equipped device and was recorded without their consent since 2011. Given the broad eligibility criteria, the proposed settlement could involve many claimants, potentially diluting individual payouts.
Apple reported $93.7 billion in net income last year, so $95 million is a rounding error on the books.
[11]
The iBiz had no comment on the current situation at the time of going to press and the settlement does not require Apple to admit any wrongdoing.
Google is also facing a [12]similar lawsuit after Belgian journalists reportedly found that the Chocolate Factory's Assistant was also listening in without authorization. That case is still unresolved, and a German investigation into the matter is also ongoing. ®
Get our [13]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2019/08/02/apple_siri_no_conversations/
[2] https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/01/02/siri.pdf
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Z3cakh54Ytz0ztFCF7VLhAAAAAc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z3cakh54Ytz0ztFCF7VLhAAAAAc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z3cakh54Ytz0ztFCF7VLhAAAAAc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/05/apple_apps_privacy_study/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/30/karen_jacobsen_siri_interview/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/09/apple_phone_16_watch_10_intelligence/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/25/apple_4gb_ai/
[10] https://www.reuters.com/legal/apple-pay-95-million-settle-siri-privacy-lawsuit-2025-01-02/
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z3cakh54Ytz0ztFCF7VLhAAAAAc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2019/08/02/germany_probes_google_over_privacy_of_voice_recordings/
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
DJ
Can someone with a legal background please explain why these companies are allowed to make no admission of guilt (they are paying the fines because they are fine specimens of humanity at its best - we all know that)?
I get the courts, well the attorneys anyway, want to get the case settled, but it seems to me the public's interest is coming in last.
PS: Wanna make a packet in the computer industry?
Go to law school.
Doctor Syntax
It's not a legal thing, it's an easy life thing. You pay us a fine without admitting guilt, we make your problem go away by not doing the work needed to bring it to court. What I would like to know is whether there are financial rewards over and above salary, possibly not directly attributable e.g. by having met overall annual argets, for those offering such a deal.
"Apple cares more about privacy"
mahan
Sadly, I have argued this myself many times.
That's why I naively chose iOS over Android.
I believed that if I paid this much for the device, surely Apple wouldn't need to sell me out.
*Man who had already lost all faith in corporate morals somehow discovers he could still lose a little more.*
so it's true
A grad I know had a very offline chat with his mates to decide the one subject they would have no interest in, had never search for, and wasn't part of their lives - they decided on crochet.
Then they spent 10 minutes in the pub with their phones on the table discussing crochet.
The next day, sure enough, crochet adds were in their feeds. Goes to show some of these rumours were true.