Apple faces class-action lawsuit over possible privacy violations

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge says Apple must face a class-action lawsuit that claims its Siri voice assistant violated users' privacy.

Plaintiffs said Apple's voice-activated assistant routinely listened in on their private conversations, and repeatedly recorded them by being accidentally activated without the user's knowledge.

The lawsuit says Apple then provided information from those conversations to third parties, including advertisers.

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Accusers said they began receiving targeted advertising for products and services ranging from shoes to restaurants -- all things they had discussed in proximity to their Apple devices.

According to Reuters, one person said he had a private discussion with his doctor about a "brand name surgical treatment," and later began getting targeted ads online for that same treatment. 

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White said Apple may have violated the federal Wiretap Act and other California privacy laws. Apple is based in Cupertino, California.

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