A current Apple employee has accused the Cupertino-based tech giant of spying on its employees through their personal devices, such as iPads and iPhones. The lawsuit, filed on Sunday, comes from Amar Bhakta, who has worked in Apple’s digital advertising division since 2020.
Bhakta claims that Apple requires employees to give up their right to privacy as a condition of employment. The lawsuit also alleges that Apple requires employees to agree to a policy where the company can “engage in physical, video, and electronic surveillance of them” even when they are at their home.
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“For Apple employees, the Apple ecosystem is not a walled garden. It is a prison yard. A panopticon where employees, both on and off duty, are subject to Apple’s all-seeing eye,” the lawsuit claims
Apple spies on workers personal data, lawsuit claims
The lawsuit says that Apple requires employees to only use Apple-made products for work. However, given the restrictions Apple puts on its work devices, the lawsuit claims most employees end up using their personal devices.
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However, an Apple policy allegedly states that when using their personal devices, any data linked to the employee’s personal account, including emails, photos, video, notes and more, will be ‘subject to search by Apple’.
The lawsuit also alleges that Apple restricts employees’ speech by not allowing them to talk about their working conditions and wages, and even restricts their political activity. Apple’s restriction on employees from speaking about their work and Apple’s business is also alleged to harm their employment prospects.
Bhakta claims that Apple prohibited him from speaking on podcasts about his experience in digital advertising and also ordered him to remove certain information about his work at Apple from his LinkedIn profile.
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Published: 03 Dec 2024, 08:33 AM IST
