A US court has ruled that Apple will face a lawsuit alleging that AirTags are being used as tools by stalkers.
Apple faced accusations of negligently releasing the AirTag despite being warned that the product could be repurposed for surveillance.
Apple Inc. failed in its attempt to have a lawsuit dismissed, which alleged that its AirTag devices assist stalkers in tracking their targets. US District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco ruled on Friday that three plaintiffs in the class-action suit had presented adequate claims for negligence and product liability, although he dismissed the remaining claims.
Approximately thirty-six women and men who initiated the lawsuit claimed that Apple had been cautioned about the dangers associated with its AirTags and contended that the company could be held legally responsible under California law when the tracking devices are utilized for wrongful purposes.
Regarding the three remaining claims, Chhabria stated, “The plaintiffs allege that, during instances of stalking, the deficiencies in the AirTag’s safety features were significant, and that these safety flaws led to their injuries.”
Apple had contended that it incorporated “industry-first” safety features into the AirTag and should not bear liability for the product’s misuse.
“The judge stated that while Apple might ultimately be correct that California law did not mandate additional measures to reduce the effectiveness of AirTags for stalkers, such a conclusion cannot be reached at this preliminary juncture,” allowing the three plaintiffs to proceed with their claims, the judge wrote.
A company spokesperson did not respond immediately to an email seeking comment on the ruling.The lawsuit accused Apple of releasing the AirTag negligently, despite warnings from advocacy groups and others that the product could be repurposed for surveillance. “Priced at just $29, it has become the preferred tool for stalkers and abusers,” the complaint stated.
According to the lawsuit, although Apple introduced a feature to notify users when an AirTag might be tracking them, this and other safety measures are deemed insufficient. Tile Inc. is also under scrutiny for similar allegations regarding its tracking devices, which are linked to Amazon.com Inc.’s Bluetooth network and allegedly lack adequate safeguards against stalking.
The lawsuit is known as Hughes v. Apple, Inc., with the case number 3:22-cv-07668, and is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco.
