Apple Inc. AAPL is facing a legal challenge from one of its own, as an ad tech manager has accused the company of violating employee privacy rights through its policies.
What Happened: Amar Bhakta, a manager at Apple, has initiated a lawsuit against the tech giant, claiming that the company enforces policies that infringe on employee privacy rights.
Bhakta alleges that Apple mandates the use of its devices and iCloud accounts, which he argues leads to privacy violations and unlawful wage clawbacks.
Filed in Santa Clara superior court, the lawsuit accuses Apple of suppressing speech and conducting unauthorized surveillance. Bhakta contends that Apple’s requirement for employees to use only Apple products for work allows the company access to significant personal data.
“If you use your personal account on an Apple-managed or Apple-owned iPhone, iPad or computer, any data stored on the device (including emails, photos, video, notes and more), are subject to search by Apple,” the lawsuit states.
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The lawsuit further claims that Apple prohibits salary discussions, contributing to gender pay disparities, and restricts the sharing of personal information online, affecting career opportunities.
Bhakta’s attorney stated that they are seeking policy changes and penalties for violations. A similar case against Google resulted in a $27 million settlement.
Apple did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for a statement.
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Why It Matters: This lawsuit comes amid a series of legal challenges faced by Apple. Recently, a £3 billion ($3.81 billion) legal claim was filed against Apple in the UK, accusing the company of breaching competition laws with its iCloud service.
The claim alleges that Apple has abused its market position by directing customers towards its iCloud service without offering clear alternatives, potentially impacting around 40 million UK users.
Additionally, Apple secured a victory in a patent dispute against Masimo Corp., where a Delaware jury awarded Apple a symbolic $250 in damages.
The jury found that Masimo’s discontinued smartwatches infringed on Apple’s patents, though current products were not found to infringe.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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