Apple clarifies Siri privacy stance after $95 million class action settlement

New Delhi: Apple Inc. has issued a detailed clarification regarding its stance on user privacy following a $95 million class action settlement related to its Siri voice assistant. 

This settlement, which was announced just last week, addresses claims that Siri inadvertently recorded and shared private conversations of users without consent.

The class action lawsuit, which was filed in 2019, stemmed from allegations that Siri was activated unintentionally by "hot words" like "Hey, Siri," leading to the recording of conversations that users assumed were private. These recordings were then purportedly shared with third parties, including advertisers, for marketing purposes. 

Apple has vehemently denied these claims, and the settlement does not constitute an admission of guilt but rather a resolution to avoid further litigation. 

Under the terms of the settlement, eligible Apple customers in the United States, who owned Siri-enabled devices between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024, may be entitled to receive compensation of up to $20 per device, with a cap of five devices per user.

In response to the settlement and the subsequent public and social media speculation, Apple released an official statement asserting its commitment to user privacy. "Apple has never used Siri data to build marketing profiles, never made it available for advertising, and never sold it to anyone for any purpose," the company declared. This statement aims to reassure users that their data has not been exploited for commercial gain.

Apple further explained that certain Siri features require real-time input from Apple servers to function effectively, but even in these scenarios, the company strives to use as little data as possible to ensure accuracy. They emphasised that audio recordings of Siri interactions are not retained unless users opt-in explicitly to improve Siri's functionality. 

"Apple does not retain audio recordings of Siri interactions unless users explicitly opt-in to help improve Siri, and even then, the recordings are used solely for that purpose," the company stated, adding that they are continuously developing technologies to enhance Siri's privacy protections.