Apple Responds to Siri Lawsuit, Denies Using Data for Marketing

Apple has denied accusations that it used Siri data for marketing or sold it to third-party companies.

In response to a lawsuit alleging that conversations captured by Siri were used for targeted advertising, Apple stated that Siri data has always been anonymized and never linked to specific users.

The tech giant also emphasized that Siri data has never been sold or used to build marketing profiles.

The lawsuit, which Apple agreed to settle for $95 million, claimed that accidental Siri recordings led to ads for companies like Air Jordan and Olive Garden.

Plaintiffs argued that these ads were based on private conversations about those brands. Apple clarified that this is not how Siri works, as Siri’s data is only used to improve the service, and audio recordings are now opt-in and off by default.

The case was initially filed in 2019 after contractors reported overhearing private conversations during accidental Siri activations.

Apple had not clearly stated at the time that human oversight was involved in reviewing recordings. The lawsuit was later refiled with allegations that Siri data was used for targeted ads.

Apple’s settlement received preliminary court approval. Eligible individuals who owned or purchased Siri devices between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024, may receive up to $20.