Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has clarified its privacy policies regarding Siri, following a $95 million settlement over allegations of unauthorized recordings. The company emphasized that it has never sold or used Siri data for marketing purposes.
What Happened: According to Reuters, Apple addressed its privacy stance on Wednesday, stating, "Apple has never used Siri data to build marketing profiles, never made it available for advertising, and never sold it to anyone for any purpose."
This comes after accusations that Apple recorded private conversations through Siri and shared them with third parties, including advertisers. Although Apple settled the lawsuit, it did not admit to these claims.
Apple explained that certain Siri features require real-time input from Apple servers, but only minimal data is used to ensure accurate results.
Apple also noted that audio recordings of Siri interactions are not kept unless users opt-in to improve Siri. Even then, the recordings are solely for enhancement purposes. The company remains committed to advancing technologies to enhance Siri's privacy.
A similar lawsuit involving Google's Voice Assistant is ongoing in San Jose, California, with the same law firms representing the plaintiffs as in the Apple case.
Why It Matters: The settlement, as reported earlier, could benefit millions of U.S. consumers who owned Apple devices between September 2014 and December 2024. Eligible users can receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, with a limit of five claims per person. Approved claimants should receive payments within 60 days of filing.
The settlement involving Apple is part of a broader trend where tech giants are facing scrutiny over privacy concerns. In December 2023, Google agreed to a $700 million settlement in an antitrust case, which included commitments to amend its Play Store policies to foster competition. This settlement, pending final approval, could provide eligible consumers with reimbursements for purchases made on Google Play.
Earlier in June 2023, Amazon agreed to pay over $30 million to settle claims related to privacy violations involving its Alexa and Ring devices. The Federal Trade Commission accused Amazon of spying on customers through Ring doorbell cameras and violating children's privacy rights with Alexa recordings.
