The Article Tells The Story of:
- $95M Settlement: Apple pays for Siri recording private conversations without consent—what’s still hidden?
- Whistleblower Revelations: Accidental recordings used to train Siri spark privacy fears.
- User Claims: Siri users (2014–2024) can seek compensation—what’s next for privacy?
- Trust Issues: Apple promises data policy updates—can smart devices be trusted?
Apple Settles Siri Recording Claims
Apple agreed to pay $95 million to Siri users as part of a settlement addressing claims of unintentional recordings. The settlement covers users who owned Siri-enabled devices from 2014 to 2024. Allegations surfaced that Apple used private conversations, accidentally recorded by Apple’s Siri, to train its AI without user consent. Apple has denied wrongdoing but has agreed to the settlement to resolve damages.
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A History of Audio Privacy Breaches through Apple’s Siri
The controversy began in June 2019 when allegations surfaced about Apple’s Siri recording sensitive conversations. These claims followed Amazon’s and Google’s admission of similar incidents involving their virtual assistants. In 2018, Amazon acknowledged that its devices had unintentionally recorded users. Shortly after, Google revealed that over 1,000 Assistant recordings had been leaked to a Belgian news outlet. These incidents fueled concerns about privacy risks associated with smart devices.
Apple’s settlement comes after The Guardian reported whistleblower claims in 2019. According to the report, Apple trained Siri using recordings of private communications captured unintentionally. While Apple stopped retaining such recordings in 2019, the settlement ensures these recordings will be deleted and provides new guidance on user data.
What This Means for Apple’s Siri Users
If approved by the US District Court, the $95 million settlement will be distributed among Siri users who file claims. Eligible users must have owned Siri-enabled devices between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024. In addition to the settlement, Apple will issue guidance on how it collects voice data and give users the option to submit anonymized recordings to improve Siri’s performance.
The settlement highlights ongoing concerns about privacy and data security. While smart devices are not intentionally spying on individual conversations, the risk of accidental recordings raises questions about how companies handle user data. As privacy debates continue, users are encouraged to stay informed and take steps to safeguard their information.
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