Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle claims that its Siri voice assistant recorded users without their consent from 2014 to 2019.

 

 

Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle claims that its Siri voice assistant recorded users without their consent from 2014 to 2019. 

 

The lawyers in the case currently are seeking nearly $30 million in fees and expenses, but that figure could still be lowered by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, who is overseeing the case in Oakland, California. 

 

The settlement covers Siri-enabled device owners from that period through the end of 2024 and requires Apple to delete old recordings and provide clear guidance on user data collection. 

 

While this payout addresses privacy concerns, it reignites debates over tech companies' use of personal data. Similar incidents have plagued Amazon and Google, raising fears that voice assistants might secretly spy on users. 

 

However, experts affirm that such claims often misunderstand how these systems operate, noting that non-consensual recordings happen due to false wake word activations.

The real privacy issues, experts argue, lie elsewhere.

 

Techniques like cookies, browser fingerprinting, and ghost profiles are far more effective and harder to avoid than using accidental voice recordings to target ads. Despite conspiracy theories, Apple and other tech giants aren't hiding clandestine plots behind voice assistants.

Instead, these settlements reflect the need for better safeguards and transparency in the ever-evolving landscape of digital privacy. 

 

As voice assistants become a staple of modern life, the focus should shift from unsubstantiated fears to addressing genuine concerns around how companies handle user data responsibly.