Amazon Alexa Voice ID Biometric Open Class Action Certified in Illinois Settlement
By Steve Levine
Published: November 27, 2025
Status: Active Class Action - No Settlement Yet
Case Type: Biometric Privacy - Illinois BIPA
Claim Form Deadline: Not available - no claim form
Payouts: None yet - no settlement approved
You may be part of the Amazon Alexa Privacy Class Action
You may be part of a newly certified class action against Amazon if you used Alexa in Illinois and enrolled in Alexa Voice ID, which lets Alexa recognize your voice for personalized responses.A federal judge in Chicago certified a class of Illinois Alexa users who allegedly had biometric voiceprints collected through Voice ID without proper notice and written consent under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, known as BIPA.
This is an important step in the litigation, but it is not a settlement. There is no claim website, no claim deadline, and no payment date at this time.
What is the Amazon Alexa Voice ID class action about
Amazon Alexa is a voice activated virtual assistant that can play music, control lights, answer questions, and connect to online services. Since October 2017, Amazon has offered a feature called Voice ID that lets Alexa learn and recognize a specific user’s voice.When a user enrolls in Voice ID through the Alexa app, they see a screen that explains that Alexa will learn their voice, recognize them on any Alexa device, and provide enhanced personalization. The screen asks the user to agree to Alexa Terms of Use and authorize the creation, use, improvement, and storage of their Voice ID. The user then speaks several phrases into the app so the system can learn their voice.
The lawsuit claims that this process creates a voiceprint that qualifies as a biometric identifier under BIPA, similar to a fingerprint or face scan. Plaintiffs allege that Amazon:
• Collected, captured, or otherwise obtained users voiceprints without giving the specific written notice required by BIPA.
• Failed to obtain proper written consent before collecting biometric identifiers.
• Possessed biometric data and allegedly used, disclosed, or profited from it in ways that BIPA does not allow.
Amazon denies that it violated BIPA and argues that its Voice ID feature does not unlawfully collect or use biometric identifiers.
Who is included in the certified class
The court certified the following class definition in Gunderson et al. v. Amazon.com, Inc., Case No. 1:19-cv-05061, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois:All natural persons in Illinois for whom Amazon created a voiceprint on or after June 27, 2014.
Amazon admitted that there were approximately 1.18 million Alexa users who, at some point between October 2017 and June 2023, had a billing address in Illinois and had enrolled in Voice ID. These users may fall within the class, subject to the class definition and any later rulings on who is covered.
What claims did the judge allow to proceed as a class action
The plaintiffs brought claims under several sections of BIPA. The court found that these claims could be handled on a class wide basis because they turn on common questions about how Alexa Voice ID works and what disclosures Amazon provided.The certified class action claims include:
• Section 15(b) - collection without proper written consent
Plaintiffs say Amazon collected or otherwise obtained biometric identifiers in the form of voiceprints without first giving the written policy and obtaining the written release required by BIPA.
• Section 15(c) - profiting from biometric data
Plaintiffs allege that Amazon sold, leased, traded, or otherwise profited from biometric data tied to Alexa Voice ID users in violation of BIPA.
• Section 15(d) - disclosure or dissemination
Plaintiffs also allege that Amazon disclosed, redisclosed, or otherwise disseminated biometric identifiers without proper consent.
BIPA allows statutory damages of 1,000 dollars per negligent violation and 5,000 dollars per reckless or intentional violation, plus attorneys fees and costs. At this stage, the court has not ruled on whether Amazon is liable for any violations or how many violations might apply per person.
What did the court say about class certification
To certify the class, the judge had to decide that common questions and shared facts dominate over individual differences, and that a class action is a better way to handle this case than thousands of separate suits.The court found that:
• The class is very large. Roughly 1.18 million Illinois Alexa users enrolled in Voice ID during the relevant period.
• Everyone went through the same or materially similar Voice ID enrollment flow in the Alexa app, with the same disclosures about Voice ID, Terms of Use, and authorization language.
• Key questions about whether Voice ID creates a biometric voiceprint, whether Amazon’s disclosures were sufficient under BIPA, and whether Amazon profited from or disclosed biometric data can be answered using common evidence for the entire class.
• A class action is superior to individual lawsuits because it avoids repetitive litigation and inconsistent results for a very large group of people affected by the same alleged conduct.
The court approved two of the three named plaintiffs, Stebbins and Block, as class representatives. The judge declined to appoint the third plaintiff, Gunderson, due to unique defenses that might apply to him based on when he enrolled in Voice ID after the lawsuit was filed.
Is there a settlement or payout in the Alexa Voice ID case
There is currently no settlement in the Amazon Alexa Voice ID biometric privacy case.The court’s November 2025 order is strictly about class certification. It does not decide whether Amazon violated BIPA, it does not set damages, and it does not approve any settlement fund or payment plan for class members.
That means:
• There is no claim website.
• There is no claim form deadline.
• There is no payment date.
• There is no per person payout estimate.
Those details would only come later if the parties negotiate a settlement or if plaintiffs win a judgment that provides monetary relief to the certified class.
What happens next in the Alexa biometric class action
Now that the class has been certified, the case moves forward with much higher stakes for both sides.Next steps may include:
• Additional discovery focused on how Alexa Voice ID stores and uses audio and any resulting biometric identifiers.
• Expert reports on whether Voice ID creates a biometric voiceprint under BIPA and how Amazon handles that data.
• Motions for summary judgment to test liability questions before any trial.
• Potential settlement talks, which are common in large BIPA cases once a class is certified.
If there is a settlement or a judgment that includes payments to class members, the court will require notice to the class. At that time, class members would receive instructions about how to file claims, object, or opt out.
Do I need to do anything right now
For most Illinois Alexa users, there is nothing to file or submit at this time.Because there is no settlement and no claim process, you are not missing a deadline by doing nothing. If you fall within the class definition, you are generally included automatically unless you later choose to opt out if a settlement or judgment is reached.
It may still be helpful to:
• Keep records of your Amazon account and Alexa devices if you have them.
• Watch for future notices if the court approves any settlement in the case.
How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?
Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:Official Court Order - Alexa Voice ID Class Certification
Case Information
• Case Title: Gunderson et al. v. Amazon.com, Inc. and Amazon.com Services, Inc.
• Case Number: 1:19-cv-05061
• Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division
• Judge: Franklin U. Valderrama
• Certification Order: Memorandum Opinion and Order dated November 6, 2025, public redacted version entered November 19, 2025
Important Note on Class Action Claims
Please submit only truthful information if a claim process is opened in the future. False claims can be rejected and may carry penalties. If you are unsure whether you qualify in any future settlement, review the official notice or contact the court approved administrator. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not a settlement administrator or a law firm.
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Submit Claim| Class Action Summary | |
| Status | Active Class Action - No Settlement |
|---|---|
| Claim Form Deadline | None - no claim form available |
| Settlement Amount | None - no settlement approved |
| Category | Biometric Privacy - Illinois BIPA |
| Estimated Payout per Person | Not available - damages and any future payouts have not been determined |
| Case Number | 1:19-cv-05061 |
| Case Title | Gunderson et al. v. Amazon.com, Inc. and Amazon.com Services, Inc. |
| Court | U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois |
| Class Definition | All natural persons in Illinois for whom Amazon created a voiceprint on or after June 27, 2014 |
| Estimated Class Size | Approximately 1.18 million Illinois Alexa Voice ID users, based on Amazon records |
| Claim Website | None - no settlement claim site at this time |
| Administrator | Not yet appointed - no settlement in place |