Apple Sued for Having Power to Spy on Employees’ Personal Lives

The lawsuit is submitted in California state court and it claims that Apple’s policies force employees to mix their work and personal lives online, giving the company a lot of access to their private information.

The lawsuit alleges that Apple mandates the use of Apple-made devices for work. Due to restrictions on company-owned devices, most employees reportedly resort to using their personal Apple devices. When doing so, they are required to use their personal iCloud accounts and install software that allows Apple to monitor device activity extensively.

According to the lawsuit, Apple’s confidential policy states that any data stored on a device using a personal account—such as emails, photos, videos, and notes—can be searched by Apple. This raises issues because it means Apple may access real-time location data and other sensitive information stored on employees’ personal devices.

Although employees could theoretically avoid surveillance by using a work-owned device with a separate work-only iCloud account, the lawsuit claims Apple “actively discourages” this practice. This makes employees feel pressured to use their personal devices and accounts.

A lawsuit filed under the California Private Attorneys General Act allows employees to sue on behalf of the state for labor violations. If Apple is found guilty, it could face large fines for each violation, multiplied by the number of employees affected.

In response, Apple has denied the accusations. Spokesperson Josh Rosenstock emphasized that employees are trained annually on their rights regarding wages and working conditions and stated that the company strongly disagrees with the lawsuit’s claims.

More here.