Apple Must Face Narrowed Privacy Lawsuit Over User Data Collection

A federal judge has narrowed the scope of a privacy lawsuit accusing Apple of violating the privacy rights of iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch users. The lawsuit claims that Apple collected personal data through its proprietary apps, including the App Store, Apple Music, and Apple TV, without proper user consent.

U.S. District Judge Edward Davila, based in San Jose, California, dismissed the majority of claims linked to Apple’s “Allow Apps to Request to Track” setting, clarifying that this setting applies to third-party apps and websites. However, the judge allowed the lawsuit to proceed on claims involving Apple’s “Share [Device] Analytics” setting, which users alleged continued to collect data even when turned off.

According to the plaintiffs, Apple violated several privacy and consumer protection laws by assuring users that disabling these settings would prevent data collection—yet the company allegedly ignored these choices. Judge Davila noted that Apple’s disclosures did allow users to opt out of sharing device analytics, making it plausible that users believed turning off this feature would stop Apple’s data collection practices for its own apps.

This lawsuit, seeking unspecified damages, is part of a growing trend targeting big tech companies like Apple, Google, and Meta for collecting user data without consent. Apple has defended its data collection practices, claiming that it uses the data from device analytics to enhance its products and services.

As the lawsuit progresses, it raises broader questions about data privacy, user consent, and the responsibilities of tech giants when it comes to safeguarding personal information.