The owners of Facebook and Instagram are suing Apple for allegedly stealing their user’s personal data in order to sell ads on the two social media platforms. The lawsuit claims that Apple violated privacy clause of the users by using this information to its own advantage without user’s consent or knowledge. If Apple is found guilty, it could end up paying out millions in damages.
What is the lawsuit about?
Facebook and Instagram’s owners are suing Apple for allegedly stealing their users’ personal data. The lawsuit was filed in California on Tuesday, Billboard reports. The plaintiffs allege that Apple extracted personal information from Facebook and Instagram users via the iOS apps, then sold that data to third parties.
The suit seeks unspecified damages, including restitution for the alleged victims’ losses of privacy, emotional anguish, and inconvenience. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has previously said that the company loses an estimated $3 billion a year due to data misuse by third parties.
Did Facebook and Instagram’s parent companies knowingly share user data with Apple?
Facebook and Instagram parent companies Facebook, Inc. (FB) and Instagram, Inc. (INSTA) are suing Apple Inc. (AAPL) for allegedly stealing their users’ personal data. According to the complaint filed in California state court on Monday, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp have been sharing user data with Apple since at least 2013. The plaintiffs allege that this data theft has resulted in “serious harm” to their businesses and harmed their relationships with their users.
The complaint alleges that Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp violated California consumer privacy laws by sharing personal data without consent or receiving proper consent from the users. The plaintiffs are seeking an order prohibiting Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp from continuing the alleged data sharing practices, as well as unspecified damages.
Apple has defended its relationship with Facebook and Instagram by stating that it has received user permission to access the personal data shared by the companies. However, the plaintiffs argue that this permission was given without proper disclosures about the extent of Apple’s access to user data.
How will this affect users?
Facebook and Instagram’s Owners are Suing Apple for Allegedly Stealing Their Users’ Personal Data. This will have a large impact on users as Facebook and Instagram are two of the most popular social media platforms. People use these platforms to share photos and updates with their friends, so it will be important to see how this lawsuit plays out.
What are our thoughts on the matter?
Facebook and Instagram’s owners are suing Apple for allegedly stealing their users’ personal data. The plaintiffs allege that Apple used a technique called “fingerprinting” to access user data stored on devices running iOS, including Facebook and Instagram accounts. Fingerprinting is a process by which Apple can identify specific devices using unique identifiers such as the device’s serial number. This information was allegedly pulled without consent or notification from Facebook and Instagram users. This lawsuit is just the latest development in a long-standing rivalry between the two companies.
