Millions of Apple users can now submit their claims to get a settlement payment after the company was sued for a privacy violation.
After Apple agreed to the terms in December, the settlement administrator has now opened the claims portal that will enable millions to get paid, SFGATE reported.
Why did Apple get sued for privacy violations?
The allegations against Apple started in 2019 when a whistleblower reported that the iPhone is activating Siri without users’ knowledge and allowing people’s private conversations to be recorded. Shortly after the whistleblower reported the issue to The Guardian, a California resident named Fumiko Lopez filed a lawsuit against Apple and requested his case be granted class-action status.
“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 complaint stated.
Apple continued to defend itself after facing the lawsuit.
“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,” the company stated, per SFGATE.
Still, the company has agreed to a $95 million settlement.
How can Apple users get compensation from the settlement?
People who are eligible for the payment are getting notice from Apple. Apple users are directed to a portal where they will submit their contact information, along with the device’s serial numbers or proof of purchase. The plaintiffs will be asked to swear “under penalty of perjury” that Siri was activated unintentionally on their device at least once, during a conversation that was supposed “to be confidential or private.”
How can you file a claim via Lopez Voice Assistant Settlement
Apple will pay about $20 per device. The deadline for filing a claim is July 2. Visit the claims portal at lopezvoiceassistantsettlement.com.