Time Is Running Out to Submit Your Claim in Apple's $95 Million Siri Lawsuit
Time is running out for a massive group of Apple device owners to claim money from a $95 million class-action settlement. The privacy lawsuit was filed over Siri "listening in" when users had not intentionally activated the voice assistant.
In 2019, a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of Northern California alleged that Apple contractors had come across Siri activations that appeared inadvertent, capturing private conversations. Lopez v. Apple followed a report from The Guardian that cited a source who claimed the recordings sometimes contained medical information and other sensitive audio.
The lawsuit included allegations from multiple plaintiffs who alleged that their personal data — contained in unintended Siri recordings — ended up in the hands of advertisers. They allegedly noticed suspect ads after they talked about things like Olive Garden, Air Jordan sneakers and a "'brand name' surgical treatment" in the proximity of Siri devices, according to the complaint.
The case involved recordings that were captured after people opted in to a routine permissions request that allowed Apple to use their data to improve Siri. Apple argued it was a good steward of this data and emphasized the limitations on how it was used.
While Apple agreed to a preliminary settlement to avoid further litigation, the company continues to deny wrongdoing. In a January statement, Apple said it "has never used Siri data to build marketing profiles, never made it available for advertising, and never sold it to anyone for any purpose."
Nevertheless, the Lopez v. Apple lawsuit has raised privacy concerns and added to Americans' fears — justified or not — that they're constantly being listened to by phones and other smart devices, like Alexa and Google Nest speakers. On the financial side, the settlement agreement is a chance for affected users to get some compensation.
In May, a settlement website began accepting claims from impacted people who owned specific Apple devices during a 10-year period spanning from Sept. 17, 2014, to the end of last year.
Millions of claims have already been filed, according to a June 4 court filing from Angeion, the claims administration firm. In the filing, Angeion said the "potential class for purposes of notice" includes "well over 100 million people."
Still need to claim your share? Here is everything you need to know about the Apple settlement:
Who is eligible for the Apple settlement?
To receive compensation, you must reside in the U.S. and be a "current or former owner or purchaser of a Siri Device." You must also attest under oath to the statement that "you experienced an unintended Siri activation" during the time period above and "the unintended Siri activation you experienced occurred during a conversation intended to be confidential or private."
A Siri device could be an iPhone, but the settlement also covers unintended voice assistant activations on other devices, including the iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, iMac, HomePod, iPod touch and Apple TV.
How much can I get from the Apple settlement?
Members of the settlement class, meaning those who meet all eligibility requirements, can submit claims for a payment of up to $20 per device for up to five Siri-enabled devices. The final amount "will increase or decrease pro rata depending on the total number of valid claims submitted and Siri devices claimed," according to the Lopez Voice Assistant Settlement webpage.
The settlement website allows individuals to submit the information required to get a piece of the settlement, including your name, address, contact info and preferred payment method.
How do I know if I had unintended Siri activations?
On older devices, Siri could be activated by holding the home button. On recent iPhone models, holding the side button activates Siri. Siri also has a listening feature that you can enable to activate the voice assistant by saying, "Hey, Siri."
The settlement class includes people who affirm Siri captured private conversations without any such activation.
Some users received an email in May from the sender "Lopez Voice Assistant Settlement Administrator" containing a claimant identification code and a confirmation code. This email states: "Apple’s records indicate that you may be a member of the Settlement Class and may be entitled to receive a payment."
Can I still submit an Apple settlement claim if I don't have a confirmation code?
Yes, you can still submit a claim without a confirmation code, but you will be asked additional questions and will need to provide device serial numbers. Click the "new claim" button on the "submit claim" tab of the settlement website to get started.
When is the deadline for the Apple settlement?
Affected individuals can submit claims for Apple devices they owned or purchased from Sept. 17, 2014, to Dec. 31, 2024, through July 2 (that's Wednesday).
Claims should be submitted online before 11:59 p.m. PST or postmarked no later than July 2.
When will the Apple settlement be paid out?
The settlement has not been finalized — an approval hearing is scheduled for Aug. 1, and considering the possibility of appeals it could take months or years for individuals to receive settlement payments. Among other matters, the plaintiffs' lawyers are seeking sign-off to receive attorneys’ fees amounting to 30% of the $95 million fund.
It often takes a while for class-action lawsuits and their settlements to actually shake out. In April, for example, payments of about $40 were finally issued in a Facebook settlement that parent company Meta agreed to in 2022.
More from Money:
Facebook Settlement Payments Won't Go Out Until Early 2025 (or Later)
Dollar Scholar Asks: Can I Get Rich From Class-Action Lawsuits?