Apple users—specifically those who use Siri through products such as Macbooks, iPhones, and Apple TVs—may be entitled to make a claim after Apple’s class action lawsuit settlement, worth $95 million dollars, regarding the voice-activated assistant.
The settlement comes from a lawsuit filed in 2021 by Californian Fumiko Lopez, who claimed that Apple, via Siri, conducted “unlawful and intentional interception and recording of individuals’ confidential communications without their consent and subsequent unauthorized disclosure of those communications.”
“Apple intentionally, willfully, and knowingly violated consumers’ privacy rights, including within the sanctity of consumers’ own homes where they have the greatest expectation of privacy,” the lawsuit stated. “Plaintiffs and Class Members would not have bought their Siri Devices, or would have paid less for them, if they had known Apple was intercepting, recording, disclosing, and otherwise misusing their conversations without consent or authorization.”
In 2019, Apple published a statement titled “Improving Siri’s privacy protections,” in which they said they hadn’t “been fully living up” to their “high ideals” and vowed to issue improvements.
Apple agreed to the settlement on Dec. 31, 2024. According to the settlement website: “Apple denies all of the allegations made in the lawsuit and denies that [they] did anything improper or unlawful.”
The website also provides information about who is eligible to file a claim and the deadlines they need to adhere to.
Here’s what you need to know about how you can file a claim:
Who is eligible to file a claim?
People eligible to make a claim include those who owned or purchased a Siri device—which includes the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, iMac, HomePod, iPod touch, Apple TV—between Sept. 17, 2024 and Dec. 31, 2024. They must have “purchased or owned a Siri Device in the United States or its territories and enabled Siri on that device.”
According to the settlement agreement, eligible parties also should have “experienced an unintended Siri activation during a confidential or private communication.”
Those not eligible include Apple employees, legal representatives, and judicial officers assigned to the case.
How can you make a claim and when is the deadline?
Claimants can submit a claim form via the settlement website, and can submit claims for up to five Siri devices.
The deadline to make a claim is July 2, 2025. This is also the deadline to opt out of the payment, which would allow the customer to keep their right to bring any other claim against Apple arising out of, or related to, the claims in the case.
Some of those eligible to make a claim may have received a postcard or an email—with the subject line “Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement”—notifying them about the settlement. This correspondence would likely include a Claim Identification Code and a Confirmation Code. Per the settlement website, people can use these codes when making a claim, but eligible Apple customers who haven’t received any correspondence can still file a claim.
When can you expect to receive payment?
On August 1, 2025, the courts are due to host a final approval hearing, but there could still be appeals. Payments will only be issued after any appeals are resolved. The settlement website is set to keep customers updated on timings and payment schedules, as and when that information is available.
The post What to Know About the Apple Class Action Lawsuit Settlement—and How You Can File a Claim appeared first on TIME.
