Apple faces lawsuit for spying ex-employees’ personal iPhones

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Apple is facing a lawsuit accusing it of spying on its own staff by an ex-employee.

Amar Bhakta, an employee in Apple’s advertising technology division, has filed a legal complaint in California state court, alleging that the company intrudes into the personal lives of its staff. 

According to Bhakta, Apple’s policies effectively compel employees to surrender their privacy by granting the company the ability to monitor personal iCloud accounts and non-work devices. 

This surveillance reportedly extends beyond working hours and even persists after employees leave the company, using methods such as video monitoring, physical surveillance, and electronic tracking.

The lawsuit also highlights other alleged overreaches, such as restrictions on the employee’s professional speech.

Bhakta claims Apple discouraged him from publicly discussing topics in his field of expertise and required him to clear his LinkedIn profile, removing references to his role. 

However, the main peg of the dispute is Apple’s practice of requiring employees to use Apple devices for work.

Employees are often forced to rely on their personal iPhones and Macs, which necessitates the use of personal iCloud accounts. 

Bhakta argues that this policy leaves employees’ personal data vulnerable to the company.

He says that if employees try setting up separate iCloud accounts for work purposes, Apple reportedly sees it as “actively discouraged,” making it difficult for employees to maintain a clear boundary between their professional and private lives.

As per a report from Semafor, Apple denies these allegations and asserts that it supports employees’ rights to discuss their wages, working conditions, and other employment-related matters. 

The lawsuit, filed under the California Private Attorneys General Act, has significant potential implications.

This act enables employees to sue on behalf of the state for labor violations, meaning Apple could face substantial penalties if found liable. 

The outcome of this case may influence how far employers can go in monitoring their workers and managing work-related data on personal devices.

What do you think about this lawsuit? Do you think it’s possible Apple is spying on ex-employees? We would love to hear your thoughts below in the comments, or via our Twitter or Facebook.