Apple employee sues iPhone-maker over claims that it ‘spies on’ staff phones – Times of India

A current Apple employee has filed a lawsuit alleging the company systematically invades workers’ privacy by monitoring personal devices and restricting employee speech, as first reported by Semafor.
Amar Bhakta, a digital advertising manager at Apple since 2020, claims the company requires employees to surrender personal privacy rights by installing monitoring software on their own iPhones and linking personal iCloud accounts to work systems. According to the lawsuit, Apple can access emails, photos, videos, location data, and other personal information, even when employees are off-duty.
The lawsuit, filed in California state court, describes Apple’s workplace ecosystem as a “prison yard” where workers are subject to constant surveillance. Bhakta alleges the company’s policies violate California labor laws by enabling “physical, video, and electronic surveillance” of employees, including monitoring devices in home offices.
The complaint also highlights restrictions on employee communication. Bhakta claims Apple prohibited him from discussing his work on podcasts and demanded he remove professional details from his LinkedIn profile. Semafor’s initial reporting underscored the breadth of these alleged speech suppressions.
Apple categorically denies the accusations. Spokesperson Josh Rosenstock stated that employees are annually trained on their right to discuss wages, hours, and working conditions, and that the company strongly disagrees with the lawsuit’s claims.
The legal action seeks damages for labor code violations and aims to protect California Apple employees from future potential privacy infringements. Filed under the California Private Attorneys General Act, the lawsuit could result in significant penalties if Apple is found liable.
This isn’t the first time Apple has faced scrutiny over employee treatment. A previous lawsuit in June accused the company of systematically underpaying female employees in engineering, marketing, and customer support roles.