Apple Faces Lawsuit Over Breaching Privacy Through its App Store
According to research released in November, a case claims that Apple not only follows, records, and gathers data via its App Store without the user’s consent but also monetizes it. The plaintiff hopes that the complaint will result in a class action by providing this information about browsing history and activities.
According to AppleInsider, the defendant in the lawsuit was named Elliot Libman. The complaint with case number 5:2022cv07069 was submitted to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Regrettably, Libman’s lawyers do not share the same excitement as their client since they believe it will be challenging to win the case. As for the specifics of the lawsuit, you can see them listed below:
Apple’s practices infringe upon consumers’ privacy; intentionally deceive consumers; give Apple and its employees power to learn intimate details about individuals’ lives, interests, and app usage; and make Apple a potential target for “one-stop shopping” by any government, private, or criminal actor who wants to undermine individuals’ privacy, security, or freedom.”
The report states that the data Libman is referring to is stored at Apple’s servers. For instance, Netflix likewise employs a procedure in which user data is gathered on the servers and linked to a particular account, indicating that the plaintiff’s lawyers or counsel may need to comprehend the concept of server-side data collecting comprehensively. Even though the research cited in the paper discusses data sales as well as information that was compromised via hacking, the lawsuit also claims that Apple has benefited financially from customers’ data.
Recall that Apple maintains that it does not collect user data and is open about how it utilizes data in its advertising platform; this fact alone may be enough to end the litigation. Users of the App Store and iPhones always accept the terms and limitations that Apple establishes before they can begin using them. Thus it seems unlikely that these actions violate any laws.
