Technical News Office – A new lawsuit against Apple accuses the company of monitoring its employees’ devices and personal accounts and restricting discussions about wages and working conditions. The case was filed in a California court by Amar Bhakta, an Apple employee, who alleged that the company’s policies violated employees’ rights. This information was revealed in a Reuters report.
What were the allegations in the lawsuit?
Bhakta, who has worked in Apple’s digital advertising department since 2020, claimed that the company was forcing users to install software on their personal devices. This software allows Apple to access employees’ personal information, such as emails, photos, health data and smart home configuration. Additionally, the lawsuit also states that Apple’s privacy policies prevent employees from disclosing confidential issues and openly discussing working conditions. Bhakta says he was blocked from talking about his work on the podcast and asked to remove his professional information from his LinkedIn profile. “Apple’s surveillance policies impose unreasonable restrictions on employees’ free speech, employment, and freedom of expression,” the lawsuit says.
Apple’s response
Apple has dismissed these allegations as completely unfounded. A company spokesperson said employees are regularly trained on their rights when discussing working conditions. “Apple is focused on creating the best products and services in the world and ensuring the discoveries we make are safe for our customers,” the spokesperson said. The lawsuit comes at a time when Apple’s labor policies are under widespread scrutiny. Bhakta’s lawyers are also involved in another case in which Apple is accused of gender pay inequality within its engineering and marketing teams.
Additionally, complaints filed with the Labor Council indicate that Apple has prevented employees from discussing issues such as pay inequality and discrimination by restricting social media and internal communication channels. The lawsuit was filed under a California law that allows employees to sue on behalf of the state. The case highlighted the growing legal challenges Apple faces, even though the company has denied any wrongdoing.
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