According to the lawsuit, Apple not only recorded users but also shared private discussions with third parties. The recordings would in fact have been used to create targeted advertising.
Apple agreed to pay 95 million dollars to close a class action. The company was accused of having spied on some customers with his voice assistant Siri, violating their privacy. Not only that, according to users the conversations recorded without their consent were then shared with advertisers create targeted advertisements. Apple has not admitted any wrongdoing. In the preliminary agreement the company denied having “recorded, disclosed to third parties or stored conversations recorded following the activation of Siri” without consent.
In addition to the $95 million in compensation, Apple will have to confirm that it has eliminated any conversation overheard. The settlement filed in federal court in Oakland, California, ends a long-running lawsuit five years. If approved by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, the settlement will allow tens of millions of U.S. consumers (who bought iPhones and other Apple devices from September 17, 2014 through the end of last year) to file a complaint and receive up to $20 in compensation for each device with Siri installed.
The lawsuit against Apple
Siri is a virtual assistant present on iPhone, iPad and other devices, and allows Apple users to ask questions or give instructions using only their voice. The alleged recordings, the plaintiffs explain, would have occurred even when customers did not try to activate the virtual assistant with the keywords “Hey, Siri”.
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According to the charges, Apple not only registered users, but also shared private discussions with third parties. The recordings would in fact have been used to create targeted advertising. Two plaintiffs confirmed that they received advertisements for products after having them mentioned in private conversations, one plaintiff added that he had received the commercial of a surgical treatment after discussing it with your doctor.
Why the company chose to pay $95 million
Apple has been involved in numerous class action lawsuits in recent years. A class action is a lawsuit brought by a group of people collectively represented by a member or members of that group. If successful, the money won is distributed to all applicants. By reaching a settlement, Apple not only denies any wrongdoing, but also avoids the risk of having to face a court case, which could potentially result in a much higher compensation compared to the agreed upon $95 million.
