Apple’s carefully cultivated image as a champion of consumer privacy is once again facing a dent. The tech giant has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing its Siri voice assistant of eavesdropping on private conversations and sharing them with third parties for targeted advertising.
With this case, Apple is now grappling with a growing number of legal battles over alleged breaches of user privacy, raising questions about whether the company’s public stance on data protection matches its behind-the-scenes operations.
The Siri lawsuit, filed in 2021 by California resident Fumiko Lopez and other consumers, accused Apple of allowing its voice assistant to be activated unintentionally, during what users believed were private or confidential conversations. The plaintiffs claimed that these conversations were recorded without consent and were then allegedly accessed by third-party companies such as restaurants and retail brands, which used the data to serve targeted ads via Apple’s Safari browser and its search platforms.
Although Apple denies the allegations and insists it did nothing wrong, it agreed earlier this year to resolve the lawsuit through a multimillion-dollar settlement, without admitting liability. Now, consumers who used Siri-enabled devices between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024, and who experienced unintentional Siri activation during a private conversation, can file a claim for financial compensation.
Eligible Apple products include the iPhone, iPad, MacBook, iMac, Apple Watch, HomePod, iPod touch, and Apple TV. The settlement caps payouts at $20 per device, up to a maximum of five devices per person, meaning a consumer could receive as much as $100 depending on how many qualified devices they owned.
Some Apple users have already received email or postcard notifications about the settlement, with instructions and claim codes. However, those who didn’t receive a notice can still file a new claim by submitting details such as their name, device information, and proof of purchase. The deadline to submit claims is July 2, 2025, and payments will only be processed after a final approval hearing scheduled for August 1, 2025, unless delayed by appeals.
Not Apple’s First Privacy Scandal
While Apple continues to promote itself as a privacy-first company, touting slogans like “Privacy. That’s iPhone.” — the Siri case is only one of several legal troubles the company is currently navigating over data protection and surveillance concerns.
In 2019, Apple came under fire after The Guardian reported that Siri audio recordings were being reviewed by human contractors. The whistleblower in that case revealed that contractors had access to audio snippets that included intimate or highly sensitive personal moments, such as confidential medical discussions, drug deals, and even couples having sex, all without the users’ knowledge or consent. Following the backlash, Apple temporarily halted the program and later rolled out an option for users to opt out of having their Siri recordings reviewed.
More recently, Apple has been hit with lawsuits tied to its AirTag tracking devices. Several women filed suit against the company in 2022, alleging that their former partners had used AirTags to track and stalk them. The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in San Francisco, argued that Apple’s failure to build adequate safeguards into the device made it an ideal tool for abuse. Although Apple introduced safety updates, like alerts for unfamiliar AirTags moving with users, the case highlighted the fine line between innovation and potential privacy violations.
In Europe, Apple is also under pressure. In Germany, the consumer group Verbraucherzentrale NRW sued the company in 2021 for allegedly misleading users about how their data was used for advertising. That case focused on Apple’s App Tracking Transparency framework, which critics argued gave Apple a competitive advantage by restricting third-party tracking while still allowing Apple to collect user data for its own targeted ads within the App Store and Apple News.
These privacy-related lawsuits add to the legal complexity Apple faces as it expands its business into new areas like health tracking, financial services, and AI-enhanced features. Legal experts warn that as Apple continues integrating voice and sensor technologies deeper into users’ daily lives, the risk of further legal exposure only grows, especially in jurisdictions with strong privacy laws like the EU or California.
A Shift in Public Perception?
The Siri settlement and other lawsuits come at a time when consumer trust in Big Tech is already faltering. Once praised for its tough stance on user data, especially in contrast to data-driven advertising giants like Meta and Google, Apple now finds itself embroiled in the same types of surveillance allegations it once claimed to avoid.
While the company maintains that data collected via Siri is processed anonymously and primarily on-device, multiple reports and whistleblower accounts have challenged that narrative. Privacy advocates have noted that even anonymized data can be deanonymized, particularly when cross-referenced with other sources, turning “anonymous” into a false comfort.
For consumers, the Siri settlement is a modest payout — $20 or less per device — but it carries larger symbolic weight. It suggests that even industry leaders who position themselves as privacy guardians are not immune to the messy, often intrusive consequences of data-driven technologies.
Although the Siri case is now heading toward a financial resolution, its implications could ripple across the industry. If the court grants final approval and no appeals are filed, claimants may receive payments by late 2025. But Apple’s broader legal challenges are far from over.
With regulators in the U.S. and Europe paying closer attention, and a growing number of lawsuits scrutinizing Apple’s ecosystem, the company faces increasing pressure to align its privacy rhetoric with actual practice.
