A federal judge has recently refined a lawsuit that accuses Apple of infringing on the privacy rights of users of its iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch devices. The allegations center around claims that Apple improperly gathers personal information through its proprietary applications, including the App Store, Apple Music, and Apple TV.
U.S. District Judge Edward Davila, presiding in San Jose, California, dismissed most allegations related to the “Allow Apps to Request to Track” feature found on Apple’s mobile devices. However, he permitted certain claims regarding the “Share [Device] Analytics” option to move forward.
Users of these mobile devices contend that Apple breached their user agreements along with various privacy and consumer protection regulations by asserting that disabling specific settings would curtail its data collection practices. They argue that despite their attempts to limit data usage through these settings, Apple continued to gather and utilize their information without consent.
This lawsuit is part of a broader trend where numerous technology firms—including giants like Google and Meta Platforms—face similar accusations regarding unauthorized data collection practices.
In a detailed 39-page ruling issued late Thursday evening, Judge Davila noted that Apple’s communication made it clear that the “Allow Apps to Request to Track” setting was relevant only for third-party applications and websites. He concluded it was “implausible” for an average user to assume they were revoking permission for Apple itself to collect data simply by disabling this particular setting.
Conversely, Judge Davila acknowledged users’ arguments about withdrawing consent when they turned off the “Share [Device] Analytics” feature. He referenced Apple’s own statements indicating users could completely disable Device Analytics sharing if they chose.
Apple has maintained that it collects information via this setting primarily for enhancing its products and services’ performance.
As of now, legal representatives for the plaintiffs have not provided comments following Friday’s developments. Similarly, requests for statements from Apple’s legal team have gone unanswered at this time.
The case is officially titled In re Apple Data Privacy Litigation in the U.S. District Court for Northern California under case number 22-07069.
Student at Government College of Engineering Kolkata and an enthusiastic Journalist. Follows Topics such as Indian Politics, Gaming, Anime, etc. Click on the bell icon for more news and opinions from Srijan.
