Siri spying: Apple fined Rs 815 crore for secretly recording calls

New Delhi. The world’s leading technology company Apple has agreed to pay $95 million (about Rs 815 crore) in the Siri spying case. Apple wants to settle the lawsuit in which it was accused of deploying its virtual assistant Siri to spy on people using iPhones and other trendy devices. The proposed settlement filed in federal court in California and Oakland will resolve the 5-year-old lawsuit.

A look at the allegations
It is alleged that Apple secretly activated Siri to record conversations through iPhones and other devices equipped with virtual assistants for more than a decade. The lawsuit claimed that some of the recorded conversations were shared with advertisers so that they could sell their products to consumers who are likely to be more interested in goods and services. At the same time, Apple is not admitting any fault in this settlement. Lawyers in the case have proposed scheduling a court hearing in Oakland on February 14 to review the terms.

Every consumer will get $20
If the agreement is approved, consumers who owned iPhones and other Apple devices from September 17, 2014 to the end of last year can claim compensation. Each consumer can get up to $20 for each Siri device under the agreement. However, the payment can be less or more depending on the amount of claims.

Terms of the agreement
A fund of $95 million has been prepared for the payment. Apple will have to ensure that it has deleted the conversations recorded inadvertently by users. The company will also have to clarify how voice data will be used by Siri.

Profit of $705 billion
This agreement is a small part of the $705 billion profit earned by Apple since September 2014. Apple could also have to pay for this if the company is found to have violated wiretapping and other privacy laws and the case goes to trial.