Siri recorded many users without permission… and now Apple will have to pay for it. Apple, one of the most powerful brands on the planet, will have to pay 95 million dollars to quietly settle a class-action lawsuit that’s been open for years. The reason? Siri, the virtual assistant on Apple devices, was activating without permission and recording conversations it shouldn’t have, such a snoop!
Apple, although it hasn’t admitted to any wrongdoing, has chosen to avoid going to trial and end the matter like all the big companies do: with money. So, if you had Siri enabled between 2014 and 2024, you could receive up to 20 dollars per affected device. And you can file a claim until July 2, 2025.
What exactly happened?
It all started when several users reported that Siri would activate on its own, without the need to say the dreaded “Hey Siri”, which usually activates every device in the house. And worse: it recorded fragments of private conversations, which, even if not especially sensitive, were still private. Those recordings, according to the plaintiffs, allegedly ended up in the hands of third parties working to train the assistant’s artificial intelligence…
Apple, for its part, insists that it never used that information with bad intentions, but the damage to privacy was already done. And in a time where data leaks are a daily headline, this is no small matter.
Who can claim the money?
Anyone who had Siri enabled on an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, iMac, HomePod, iPod touch or Apple TV and experienced an accidental activation between September 2014 and December 2024… can file a claim. But only if you live in the U.S.
You don’t need a purchase receipt, but you do have to confirm under oath that Siri was triggered by mistake and recorded something private. The claim form is already available and can be submitted until July 2, 2025. The payments will be proportional depending on how many people apply, but the maximum expected is 20 dollars per device.
Apple pays, but admits no guilt
Apple has been very clear: they don’t acknowledge doing anything wrong. According to their statement, the settlement aims to avoid “the cost and burden” of a long trial. Basically, they’d rather pay and move on. Still, dropping 95 million just like that shows they’d rather avoid the noise.
But beware, just because they pay the set amount doesn’t mean anything. It’s a tactic used by big companies so the topic stops being talked about (whether they’re guilty or not). They’re not the only ones who’ve agreed to pay a ridiculous amount of money just to avoid facing trial.
The important thing isn’t the money
Beyond the 20 dollars you might receive, what’s at stake here is something else: privacy. We’re surrounded by microphones that are always listening, waiting for a command. When that listening becomes constant and without permission, technology crosses a very dangerous line…
Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant… they all do the same. And going into the “recordings” folders is honestly terrifying. While technology moves forward fast, user protection is advancing slower than it should…
What’s next?
The hearing to approve the settlement will be on August 1, 2025, but the claim forms can already be submitted (remember, until July 2 and only for U.S. users).
For Apple, it’s a warning. And for everyone else, a sign that privacy can’t continue to be the price we pay for using smart technology.
Key information
| Total settlement | $95 million |
| Eligibility period | Sept 2014- Dec. 2024 |
| Maximum payout | $20 per affected device |
| Claim deadline | July 2, 2025 |