You’ve probably been there. You’re having a private conversation about, say, a new pair of hiking boots or a weird medical symptom, and suddenly your phone screen lights up. Siri thinks you called for her. It’s annoying, sure, but for a group of people led by Fumiko Lopez, it was more than a glitch—it was a massive privacy violation. That frustration eventually snowballed into the Lopez voice assistant class action lawsuit, a legal battle that basically forced one of the world's biggest tech giants to open its wallet.
The whole thing kicked off years ago, but it feels more relevant now than ever. We’re living in a world where everything has a microphone. Your watch, your TV, your speaker, even your fridge might be listening. The Lopez case specifically took aim at Apple, alleging that Siri wasn't just "accidentally" waking up; it was recording and sharing things it had no business hearing.
The $95 Million "Oops"
So, here is the deal. Apple finally agreed to pay $95 million to settle this mess. That sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but when you spread it across millions of iPhone users, the individual cut is... well, it’s not exactly "retire early" money. Most people are looking at about $20 per device.
If you’re a power user with an iPad, an Apple Watch, and a couple of HomePods, you could claim up to five devices. That’s a potential $100. But honestly, most folks will likely see more like $8 or $15 once the lawyers take their 30% cut and the administrative costs are drained from the pool.
What was the actual problem?
The lawsuit, officially known as Lopez v. Apple Inc., wasn't just about Siri being "dumb." The plaintiffs argued that Apple was intentionally intercepted confidential communications without consent.
The real kicker?
The "grading" program.
Back in 2019, an investigation by The Guardian blew the lid off the fact that Apple was sending small snippets of Siri recordings to human contractors. These people were supposed to "grade" how well Siri responded. But because of "unintended activations"—those times Siri wakes up when you didn't say the magic words—these contractors were hearing some incredibly private stuff. We’re talking doctor-patient discussions, business deals, and even intimate moments.
Apple eventually apologized. They said they hadn't been living up to their high ideals. They even changed how the grading worked, making it an "opt-in" feature rather than something happening in the background by default. But for the people in the Lopez voice assistant class action lawsuit, the damage was already done.
Can you still get paid?
If you're reading this thinking you're about to strike gold, I have some news. The deadline to file a claim was July 2, 2025. If you missed that window, you’re basically out of luck for this specific payout.
The court granted final approval for the settlement in late 2025, and the checks—or more likely, the Venmo and Zelle transfers—are scheduled to start hitting accounts around January 23, 2026.
If you did file a claim, you had to swear under oath that you actually experienced an unintended activation. That’s a pretty high bar for a twenty-dollar bill, but thousands of people did it.
Why this case is a big deal for your privacy
This lawsuit isn't just about a $95 million payout. It’s a signal. For a long time, tech companies argued that you couldn't prove "damages" just because a voice assistant heard a snippet of your life. They’d say, "Where's the harm?"
The Lopez voice assistant class action lawsuit proved that privacy itself has value.
It also highlighted the massive gap in our laws. While Illinois has the strict Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) that makes companies pay through the nose for voiceprints, most other states are still catching up. This case used a mix of the Federal Wiretap Act and California’s privacy laws to hold Apple's feet to the fire.
What to do if you're worried about your devices
Look, these assistants aren't going away. If anything, with all the new "AI" features being baked into our phones, they're getting more integrated. But you aren't powerless.
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First, check your settings. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Siri & Search. You can turn off "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" and "Press Side Button for Siri." You can also go into Privacy & Security > Research & Improvements and make sure "Improve Siri & Dictation" is toggled off. This stops Apple from sending your audio to their servers for human review.
Second, be aware of your surroundings. If you're having a truly sensitive conversation, maybe don't have it right next to a smart speaker. It sounds paranoid, but as the Lopez case showed, "unintended activations" are a feature, not just a bug.
The legal landscape is still shifting. We're seeing similar heat being put on Amazon's Alexa and Google's Assistant. While the Lopez voice assistant class action lawsuit is reaching its finish line with payments going out this month, the conversation about who is listening to us in our own living rooms is only getting louder.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check Your Email: If you filed a claim in 2025, look for updates from the settlement administrator. Payments are expected to process starting January 23, 2026.
- Audit Your Permissions: Open your phone's privacy settings today. Revoke microphone access for apps that don't absolutely need it.
- Update Your Software: Tech companies often roll out privacy patches and "opt-out" toggles in newer OS versions. Staying updated is the easiest way to benefit from the privacy changes won in cases like this.
- Monitor Other Settlements: If you use Alexa or Google Assistant, keep an eye on class action trackers. The Lopez case set a precedent that other law firms are now following to target similar privacy gaps.