An Apple employee filed a lawsuit accusing the iPhone maker of illegally monitoring members of its workforce through their personal iCloud accounts and non-work devices.

Reuters reported Apple stated the claims in the lawsuit lack merit and its workers are trained annually on their rights to discuss their working conditions.

The lawsuit filed yesterday (2 December) in a California state court by Amar Bhakta alleges “Apple maintains company-wide policies that suppress its employees’ speech” and requires them to give up their right to personal privacy.

It claims the company believes it can “engage in physical, video and electronic surveillance of them”, and search Apple and non-Apple devices even in their home offices.

In the lawsuit, it is stated: “Apple requires employees to waive their inalienable right to privacy and autonomy, and to patronise Apple, as a condition of their employment. Apple requires the use of Apple devices, software, and services for work, including personal iCloud accounts. Whether owned by Apple or the employee, these devices collect and use the valuable personal data of Apple employees and those with whom they interact.”

Bhakta started working for Apple in 2020 as a digital advertising technical and operations manager. He claims Apple prohibited him from participating in public speaking engagements about digital advertising and required him to remove information from his LinkedIn page regarding his job, all of which he states harms his employment prospects with other companies.

“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,” he alleges.

Apple told Reuters it is “focused on creating the best products and services in the world, and we work to protect the inventions our teams create for customers”.

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