Ever had the feeling that Siri is being way  too enthusiastic to assist, interrupting you in the middle of a conversation like an annoying dinner party guest who wasn’t even invited in the first place? If yes, you’re definitely not alone. Apple may owe you cash for those irritating interruptions. Time is running out for Apple users to collect their share of a $95 million settlement fund. The class-action lawsuit accuses Apple’s Siri voice assistant of recording users irregularly without consent, provoking privacy issues that resulted in a multi-million-dollar class-action settlement.

Apple disagrees over any wrongdoing, but it agreed to settle the case in order to keep the lawsuit at a side. If a user ever had a Siri-equipped Apple device between 2014 and 2024, they could be owed compensation, up to $100 in some instances. Although, one must have to act by July 2, 2025.

Reason behind Apple’s Compensation

The class-action suit, Lopez v. Apple, originated from allegations that Siri was accidentally turned on and it recorded private conversations, even when users did not utter “Hey Siri.” Apple suspended its human grading program in 2019 and subsequently apologized after news reports disclosed that the contractors were listening to bits of Siri recordings for quality control purposes. An Apple spokesperson said in a statement,

“Siri has been engineered to protect user privacy from the beginning and its data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose.”

Though Apple insists it did nothing wrong, it settled for $95 million. As per the settlement website,

“Apple denies all of the allegations made in the lawsuit and denies that Apple did anything improper or unlawful.”

It also insists that Siri data has never been sold or used to construct marketing profiles. According to the spokesperson,

“Apple settled this case to avoid additional litigation so we can move forward from concerns about third-party grading that we already addressed in 2019. We use Siri data to improve Siri, and we are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private.”

Eligibility Criteria

Anyone who bought or owned a Siri enabled Apple device between 17th September 2014, and 31st December, 2024 might be eligible. That includes; iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, MacBooks, iMacs, HomePods, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.

To qualify for a refund or compensation, users must swear under oath that they had at least one unwanted Siri activation during a private or confidential conversation on the device. A user can make claims for as many as five devices. Each claim may reward as much as $20 per device, depending on the number of valid claims made.

As per the document, the amount “will increase or decrease pro rata depending on the total number of valid claims submitted, and Siri Devices claimed.” According to the settlement,

“Settlement Class Members may submit claims for up to five Siri Devices on which they claim to have experienced an unintended Siri activation during a conversation intended to be confidential or private”.

Filing the Claim

A user can claim the official Lopez Voice Assistant Settlement website. Postcards or emails with claim codes were sent to some users, but if a user does not have one they can still submit a claim online. Here’s what is needed:

  • A declaration that the user used or owned a Siri-enabled Apple device during the qualifying period.
  • A sworn statement that Siri was accidentally activated during a private conversation.
  • The claim form has to be submitted online or postmarked by 2nd July, 2025.

If a user is not sure about their eligibility criteria, the settlement website provides several contact options to assist in determining eligibility.

Arrival of the Payments

On 1st Aug, 2025, a hearing date has been set for a final approval in the U.S District Court for the Northern District of California. If it is approved and no appeals are made, funds will be released shortly after that. If there are appeals, users must anticipate delays. The settlement website will offer continued updates on the timing for payments. According to the website,

“If there is no appeal, your settlement benefit will be processed promptly.  Please be patient”.

Cyber Justice

While Apple claims that it did nothing wrong, this lawsuit is just another reminder that even the slickest tech giants fall on privacy issues. Yes, $20 per device won’t make a huge difference or make your life better, but it may have a significant impact overall. It represents a rare instance when consumers are able to hold Big Tech accountable for their actions, no matter how small the settlement is. So if Siri ever got in the way of a private moment, take this as a quiet gesture towards cyber justice, just don’t wait too long. Make sure to file prior to 2nd July, 2025, or the opportunity for compensation will slip away silently.