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.
Florencia Marotta-Wurgler, a professor of law at New York University, says that this case shows how disputes over customer’s personal information have changed. “For the longest time, all of these cases have [largely] been dismissed, because it has been very hard in the U.S. to prove damages,” she says. “Cases were not even settled because firms were so sure that they would win [but] courts had a very hard time articulating what the damages were except for information breaches.”
Now, Marotta-Wurgler notes, companies are showing “greater apprehension” and are more willing to settle.
As the significance of the multi-million dollar settlement continues to be discussed, here’s what you need to know about whether you’re eligible to file a claim and how you can do that.
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 agreementeligible 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.
Marotta-Wurgler points out that the more people who claim, the smaller the share of the payout will be for said claimants.
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. The settlement website notes that “payments will be made if the Court approves the Settlement and after any appeals are resolved.” However, Marotta-Wurgler says there likely won’t be appeals in this case. Either way, the settlement website is set to keep customers updated on timings and payment schedules, as and when that information is available.
As for what lies ahead in the grander scheme of consumers and privacy concerns, Marotta-Wurgler says a change in the law is hard to initiate. “Companies just settle, it’s done, they don’t admit much and it goes away. The development of the law is just halted,” she argues.
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