Apple is under legal scrutiny following allegations that it used company-managed devices to spy on employees, both during and outside work hours. Filed on Sunday, the lawsuit by Amar Bhakta, an employee in Apple’s digital advertising division since 2020, accuses the tech giant of violating California privacy laws by collecting data from employees’ devices, including location information.
Bhakta claims that Apple requires employees to link their iCloud accounts to company systems, allowing the collection of off-duty data. He also alleges that employees’ personal devices, such as iPhones, are installed with proprietary software and subject to searches on company premises.
“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,” Bhakta stated, according to court documents cited by The Verge. He further alleges that the company restricts employees’ freedom of speech, barring them from discussing wages, working conditions, and political activities.
Apple spokesperson Josh Rosenstock responded to the allegations, stating, “We strongly disagree with these claims and believe they lack merit.”
The case has drawn attention to the balance between employee privacy and corporate policies, raising broader questions about tech companies’ control over personal data in workplace settings.
