Several days ago, a group of iPhone users in California filed a class action lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the company collects and uses user data without their consent. The lawsuit also cites Apple’s failure to adequately protect users’ data. The lawsuit claims that Apple’s privacy policies fail to protect consumers and that Apple’s practices are misleading and deceptive. In particular, the lawsuit claims that Apple is deliberately misrepresenting how users can opt-out of data collection in the App Store.
The lawsuit claims that Apple is able to track users even if they have turned off their iPhone’s tracking features. This is because most iOS apps share consistent ID numbers. This allows Apple to track users across apps and services. Apple also tracks how long users look at an app and how many times they tap. This information is also useful for tracking user addiction or other health concerns.
The lawsuit alleges that Apple has used this information to monetize user data without their consent. It also claims that Apple has been deceiving customers by promising the ability to opt-out of data collection when the reality is that Apple tracks users even if they have turned off their iPhone’s tracking features.
The lawsuit is filed on behalf of a consumer named Elliot Libman, who owns an iPhone 13. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief and statutory damages. Specifically, the lawsuit claims that Apple’s privacy assurances are deceptive and that it is violating California’s Invasion of Privacy Act. Apple has also been accused of violating state criminal laws by wiretapping and breaking privacy rules.
How Apple is Tracking Data on iPhone?
Apple’s App Store collects data on user activity and what users search for, and it uses this information to monetize its advertising services. Apple has stated that it does not share user data with data collection firms and that it does not sell user data. However, according to researchers, Apple is still collecting data even if the customer turns off the tracking feature.
The suit is based on a research report by Mysk, a company that specializes in testing mobile applications. Mysk’s research claimed that Apple’s “App Store” app tracks users’ activities and sends detailed data about them to Apple, despite users’ efforts to turn off tracking. In addition to the App Store, Mysk discovered that Apple collects user data from other apps. These apps include the Stocks app, which tracked users’ watchlists and names of stocks they viewed. The Stocks app also tracked news articles within the app.
The Mysk report also revealed that the Apple App Store collects detailed user data, including a user’s name, email address, and the number of times they tap the app. Apple says it does not share this data with third-party data collection firms, and that it anonymizes the data. It has not responded to a request for comment.
The lawsuit claims that Apple’s “App Store” app collects data on user activity and what users look for and that Apple has been deceiving customers. It also claims that Apple is violating state criminal laws by wiretapping, breaking privacy rules, and monetizing user data without their consent.
Masab Farooque is a Tech Geek, Writer, and Founder at The Panther Tech. He is also a lead game developer at 10StaticStudios.
When he is not writing, he is mostly playing video games