Apple and Meta Hit With Nearly $800 Million in EU
A young woman carrying a smartphone walks past an Apple Store on April 23, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. The European Commission has hit Apple and Meta with high penalties today over violations by the two companies of the EU's Digital Markets Act.

Apple and Google are set to pay a combined $163 million to settle class-action lawsuits after allegations that their devices secretly recorded millions of users' conversations.

The settlements follow complaints that Siri and Google Assistant were activated without the required prompts, capturing private discussions without consent.

Apple has already begun sending payments to resolve its $95 million lawsuit. The case claimed that devices recorded conversations even when users never said "Hey, Siri."

Some people reported seeing ads for brands like Olive Garden and Air Jordan after discussing them at home, suggesting the recordings were used for targeted advertising.

"Apple denies all of the allegations made in the lawsuit and denies that Apple did anything improper or unlawful," the company said on its website.

Under the settlement, anyone who purchased an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, iMac, HomePod, iPod touch, or Apple TV between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024, and experienced unintended Siri activations is eligible for a payout.

According to the NY Post, payments are capped at $20 per device, with a maximum of five devices per person.

Google, meanwhile, reached a tentative $68 million settlement for similar allegations. Users claimed Google Assistant recorded audio without the trigger phrase "OK Google."

This agreement stems from a 2019 lawsuit and still requires federal court approval before finalization.

Apple, Google Under Fire for Voice Assistant Privacy

Siri and Google Assistant are voice-activated helpers designed to perform tasks like sending messages, making calls, or providing weather updates.

Both companies were accused of using the recordings to improve their products, though they have denied wrongdoing.

Apple now requires users to opt in before audio is used for enhancing Siri, reflecting a shift toward stronger privacy controls.

The lawsuits are not the first time Apple faced legal challenges over device practices.

In 2020, the company paid $113 million to settle claims that it deliberately slowed older iPhones to encourage users to buy new models, Yahoo reported.

Similarly, Google has faced scrutiny over data privacy, especially in relation to its Assistant and other AI-driven features.

The cases highlight growing concerns about privacy in a world where voice-activated devices are increasingly common.

"These settlements aim to resolve complaints while reinforcing users' control over their data," privacy experts noted.

Originally published on vcpost.com