Have you ever had Siri go off unintentionally? If so, you might be entitled to some cash from Apple.

The possible payout is part of a $95 million settlement stemming from a class action lawsuit alleging that accidental Siri activations enabled the digital assistant to listen in on private conversations. Apple denies the allegations, according to a website connected to the lawsuit, and the company did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for additional comment.

To be eligible for compensation, you must have owned or purchased an Apple device with Siri enabled in the United States between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024. You also must have experienced an unintended Siri activation during a private conversation.

Apple launched its digital assistant in 2011, and it’s now available on everything from iPhones to iPads, Mac computers, Apple Watches, Apple TV devices and HomePod smart speakers. It’s typically activated with a hot phrase such as, “Hey Siri,” or by pressing and holding the iPhone’s side button.

Apple, along with other major tech firms, came under scrutiny after reports from The Guardian, Bloomberg and Belgian news site VRT in 2019 said workers behind popular digital assistants, like Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant, were able to hear private conversations.

Terms of Service with Clare Duffy Why It Feels Like Your Phone Is Listening to You

It’s a familiar feeling if you spend enough time on the internet: you talk about something in the real world, and then you see that same thing advertised to you online. This uncanny experience has led many people to wonder: are our devices listening to us? And is that how online advertisers are able to serve such specific ads? David Choffnes, associate professor at Northeastern University, says it’s not that simple. You can read the full study David discussed in this episode here. What questions do you have about the technology in your life? Email us at CNNTermsofService@Gmail.com.

Nov 19, 2024 • 29 min

The plaintiffs allege in the complaint that “obscure topics” from private conversations “were used by Apple and its partners to target advertisements to them.” It claims Apple accessed their communications “without their consent” by activating Siri without it being turned on manually or by reciting the trigger phrase.

“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,” Apple said in a January public statement. “We are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private, and will continue to do so.”

The company also said it attempts to boost privacy by minimizing the amount of data collected during Siri interactions that utilize Apple servers, and as much as possible processes requests directly on the user’s device.

How to file a claim

Those who are eligible should have received an email at the address linked to their Apple ID with the subject line: “Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement.” The email includes information required for the claim form, such as a confirmation code, claimant identification code and a link to the lawsuit’s website.

There is also a publicly available form on the website — although consumers will have to provide proof that they’ve purchased a Siri-equipped Apple device.

The deadline to file a claim is July 2, and claims can be submitted for up to five Siri devices. Class payments are capped at $20 per Siri device.

Any payments would likely arrive later this year since the final approval hearing is set for August 1.