Have you ever accidentally triggered Siri? If yes, you might be able to get some money from Apple.
There's a settlement of $95 million because of a legal case claiming that Siri sometimes turned on by itself and listened to private chats. Apple says they deny these accusations. They didn’t respond right away to CNN when asked for comment.
If you owned or bought an Apple device with Siri in the U.S. between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024, and Siri accidentally listened to a private conversation, you might qualify for part of the settlement.
Siri was first introduced in 2011 and is now on many Apple devices like iPhones, iPads, Mac computers, Apple Watches, Apple TV, and HomePod speakers. Usually, you activate Siri by saying “Hey Siri” or pressing a button.
In 2019, reports from news outlets like The Guardian, Bloomberg, and VRT raised concerns that workers listening to recordings from smart devices, including Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, might hear private conversations.
The people involved in the lawsuit say that Apple and its partners used private chats to try to show them targeted ads. They claim Apple accessed these conversations without permission, even if Siri wasn’t manually turned on or triggered by saying “Hey Siri.”
Apple responded by saying they do not use Siri data for advertising, sell it, or give it to others. They also said they work on making Siri more private by collecting less data and processing as much as possible directly on your device instead of sending information to Apple’s servers.
How to Claim Your Money
If you qualify, you should have received an email at the address tied to your Apple ID. The subject line should say: “Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement.” This email has details and a link to the lawsuit’s website, along with a special code for your claim.You can also fill out a claim form online on the website, but you’ll need to show proof that you bought a device with Siri.
The deadline to submit your claim is July 2. You can claim for up to five Siri-enabled devices. Each device can get up to $20.
Payments are expected later this year after the court approves the settlement in early August.
Sources: