About three dozen women and men filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple Inc. The lawsuit accuses Apple of enabling stalkers through its AirTag devices. A US court allowed the case to proceed. The plaintiffs can now pursue claims of negligence and product liability against the company.
AirTags: Designed with Safety in Mind, or a Stalker’s Tool?
The plaintiffs allege that Apple ignored warnings about the risks posed by AirTags. They claim Apple could be legally blamed under California law for misuse of the tracking devices for stalking or harassment. The plaintiffs state that AirTag’s safety features are inadequate. They argue Apple negligently released the product despite warnings from advocacy groups. These groups warned that AirTags could be repurposed for surveillance. The complaint states, “With a price point of just $29, AirTags became the weapon of choice for stalkers and abusers.”
Apple developed a feature to alert users when an AirTag might be tracking them. However, the lawsuit argues this and other safety measures fail to prevent misuse by stalkers.
A Legal Battle Over Tech Company Responsibility
Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco denied Apple’s bid to dismiss the suit. He allowed three plaintiffs to proceed with their claims. The judge stated the plaintiffs sufficiently claimed that “when they were stalked, the AirTag’s safety feature problems were substantial, and those safety defects caused their injuries.”
Apple argued it designed AirTags with “industry-first” safety measures. Apple claimed it should not be held responsible when the product is misused. However, the judge wrote, “Apple may ultimately be right that California law did not require it to do more. But that determination cannot be made at this early stage.”
The ruling sets the stage for a legal battle over tech companies’ responsibility in addressing product misuse for stalking and harassment. Tile Inc., a competitor, faces similar allegations that its products lack adequate anti-stalking protections.
