Reuters is reporting that Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit that claims Siri recorded and sent private conversations to third-party advertisers after being triggered accidentally.
Voice assistants on mobile devices typically listen for 'wake words' such as 'Hey Siri' to activate and start listening for commands. In accidental activations, the device could potentially begin recording conversations unintentionally.
In September, a federal judge told Apple it must face almost all of the cases dealing with Siri's potential privacy violations. One Apple user said he could targeted by ads for surgical treatments after a conversation with his doctor about that treatment.
Two more users claimed they were served ads for Air Jordan sneakers, Pit Viper sunglasses, and Olive Garden after conversations. Apple has denied any wrongdoing in the settlement, and plaintiffs may get up to $20 per "Siri-enabled device." The preliminary settlement still requires approval by the US District Judge.
In 2019, the Washington Post reported that despite Apple's privacy claims, the company employed external contractors to listen for accidental Siri triggers to "improve" the service. Apple responded by shutting the program down the following month.
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