Apple claims to have a concern for consumers’ privacy, and it offers users of its iPhone and iPad devices various settings that purport to keep their data from being shared. But the complaint for this class action alleges that Apple still collects the personal information and activity of those users, even after they have used those settings to indicate they do not want their data shared. The complaint alleges, “This activity amounts to an enormous wealth of data that Apple collects and uses for its financial gain.”
The class for this action is all individuals who, while using an Apple mobile device in New York, had their information tracked or used by Apple after turning off “Allow Apps to Request to Track,” “Share iPad Analytics,” “Share iPhone Analytics,” or any other similar setting on an Apple mobile device that purported to stop Apple from collecting mobile app activity.
Consumers are becoming more aware of the collection and sharing of their private information, the complaint alleges, and they are insisting on more control over this data. Apple claims to respect and cater to this desire for privacy, the complaint claims.
It quotes the Apple Privacy Policy as saying, “At Apple, we respect your ability to know, access, correct, transfer, restrict the processing of, and delete your personal data.” It also quotes Apple’s App Store User Privacy and Data Use page as saying, “The App Store is designed to be a safe and trusted place for users to discover apps created by talented developers around the world. Apps on the App Store are held to a high standard for privacy, security, and content because nothing is more important than maintaining users’ trust.”
The complaint also cites the company’s publicizing its purported concern for privacy on billboards and video ads.
Apple purports to let users control what data that Apple collects, the complaint alleges, by allowing them to turn off “Allow Apps to Request to Track” settings. Also, the complaint claims, “Apple states that it will ‘disable [the sharing of] Device Analytics altogether’ if a consumer toggles or turns off ‘Share iPad Analytics’ on an iPad, or similar settings on other Apple mobile devices, like the iPhone.”
But in fact, the complaint alleges, Apple does not stop its data collection and sharing when these settings are turned off: “A recent test performed by two independent app developers at the software company Mysk revealed that even when consumers actively change their ‘privacy settings’ and take Apple’s instructions to protect their privacy, Apple still records, tracks, collects, and monetizes consumers’ analytics data, including browsing history and activity information.”
According to the complaint, the tests “showed that Apple continues to access consumers’ app usage, app browsing communications, and personal information…”
This story was first reported by Gizmodo in November 2022, the complaint alleges, and has been covered by other news outlets since then.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Privacy
Most Recent Case Event
Apple Collects User Data Despite Privacy Settings Complaint
January 13, 2023
Apple claims to have a concern for consumers’ privacy, and it offers users of its iPhone and iPad devices various settings that purport to keep their data from being shared. But the complaint for this class action alleges that Apple still collects the personal information and activity of those users, even after they have used those settings to indicate they do not want their data shared. The complaint alleges, “This activity amounts to an enormous wealth of data that Apple collects and uses for its financial gain.”
Apple Collects User Data Despite Privacy Settings ComplaintCase Event History
Apple Collects User Data Despite Privacy Settings Complaint
January 13, 2023
Apple claims to have a concern for consumers’ privacy, and it offers users of its iPhone and iPad devices various settings that purport to keep their data from being shared. But the complaint for this class action alleges that Apple still collects the personal information and activity of those users, even after they have used those settings to indicate they do not want their data shared. The complaint alleges, “This activity amounts to an enormous wealth of data that Apple collects and uses for its financial gain.”
Apple Collects User Data Despite Privacy Settings Complaint