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Apple agrees to pay $95m to settle ‘Siri’ eavesdropping lawsuit

Tech giants Apple has agreed to pay a whopping $95 million to settle a lawsuit accusing its virtual assistant Siri of eavesdropping on users.
The lawsuit, which was filed five years ago, alleged that Apple’s Siri had been secretly recording conversations through iPhones and other devices equipped with the virtual assistant for over a decade.
The allegations claimed that Siri would activate even when users didn’t trigger it with the phrase “Hey, Siri.”
Some of these recorded conversations were then shared with advertisers to target consumers with specific products and services.
This move contradicts Apple’s long-standing commitment to protecting user privacy, which CEO Tim Cook has often described as a “fundamental human right.”
Under the proposed settlement, which still needs approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, tens of millions of consumers who owned Siri-equipped Apple devices from September 17, 2014, to the end of last year may be eligible for compensation.
Each consumer could receive up to $20 per device, with a maximum of five devices per consumer.
The settlement amount is a fraction of the $705 billion in profits Apple has made since September 2014.
It’s also significantly lower than the estimated $1.5 billion Apple could have been required to pay if the case had gone to trial.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a class of consumers who alleged that Apple had violated their right to privacy by recording and sharing their conversations without consent.
The plaintiffs claimed that Apple’s actions were a clear breach of the company’s own privacy policies, which promise to protect user data.
Apple has consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming that Siri only records conversations when explicitly activated by the user.
However, the company has also acknowledged that Siri may occasionally activate accidentally, such as when a user says a phrase that sounds similar to “Hey, Siri.”
The settlement is seen as a significant victory for consumer advocates, who have long argued that tech companies must be held accountable for their handling of user data.
“This settlement sends a clear message to tech companies that they must respect users’ privacy and obtain their consent before collecting and sharing their data,” said one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers.
The lawyers who filed the lawsuit may seek up to $29.6 million from the settlement fund to cover their fees and expenses.
A court hearing to review the settlement terms is scheduled for February 14.
In the meantime, Apple has agreed to implement new measures to protect user privacy, including providing clearer disclosures about Siri’s recording practices and obtaining explicit consent from users before sharing their data with third-party advertisers.
What is Siri?
Siri is a virtual assistant developed by Apple Inc. that is integrated into various Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and MacBooks.
Siri uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to understand and respond to voice commands and questions.
With Siri, users can perform a wide range of tasks, from simple queries like “What’s the weather like today?” to more complex requests like “Send a message to John saying I’ll be late for our meeting.”
Siri’s capabilities have expanded significantly since its introduction in 2011.
Today, Siri can control smart home devices, translate languages, convert units and currencies, and even provide directions and navigation.
Siri’s integration with other Apple services, such as Apple Music and Apple Maps, also enables users to access a wide range of content and services with just their voice.
Additionally, Siri’s ability to learn and adapt to a user’s habits and preferences makes it an increasingly personalized and intuitive virtual assistant.
Despite its many capabilities, Siri has faced criticism for its limitations and accuracy issues.
Some users have reported frustration with Siri’s inability to understand certain accents or dialects, while others have noted that Siri’s responses can sometimes be slow or inaccurate.
However, Apple has continued to update and improve Siri, and the virtual assistant remains a key feature of Apple’s devices.
As virtual assistants become increasingly ubiquitous, Siri is likely to remain a major player in the market.
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