Apple has secured a significant legal victory in its ongoing battle over user privacy. A federal judge dismissed several major claims in a class action lawsuit accusing the tech giant of collecting data from its own apps even after users opted out, as reported by Bloomberg Law. The lawsuit, which focuses on popular services like the App Store and Apple Music, alleged that Apple misled customers into believing their activity was private.
The ruling centered on whether Apple’s data collection violated the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) and the state’s constitution. Judge Davila granted Apple’s motion to dismiss these specific claims, along with allegations involving Pennsylvania wiretapping laws and breach of implied contract. A key factor in the decision was the “objectively unreasonable” expectation of total privacy. The judge noted that expecting zero data transmission to Apple while using its digital services is not realistic in a modern technical environment.
One of the more technical aspects of the case involved “pen registers”—tools typically used by law enforcement to track communication metadata. The plaintiffs argued that Apple’s apps acted as such devices to record user activity without consent. Judge Davila was unpersuaded by this comparison. He found that the definition of a pen register didn’t apply to how Apple’s internal app processes function, leading to the dismissal of that specific claim.
Judge Davila has given the plaintiffs a 30-day window to amend and refile their dismissed claims “out of an abundance of caution.” However, he expressed serious doubt that they could fix the legal deficiencies in their current arguments. “It is doubtful whether Plaintiffs can sufficiently plead their dismissed claims given the deficiencies addressed in this Order,” Davila stated.
What do you think about Apple’s data collection? Do you feel that “opting out” should mean absolutely no data is shared, or do you accept some data transmission as part of using modern apps? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Stay updated with the latest news on this by downloading the Appleosophy App from the App Store or by visiting our website.
