Turned off this iPhone data-sharing setting? Apple is still collecting it

JoeAllan

Apple has been hit with yet another privacy class action lawsuit over claims that one of its iPhone privacy settings isn't working. The lawsuit alleges that the iPhone Analytics privacy setting, which is supposed to prevent Apple from collecting usage data, does not do so at all. Even in apps like https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lily-plant-identification/id1570145257.  Apple reportedly continues to collect data even after turning off the setting.

Apple has already been sued after it filed a class action lawsuit in California last year over privacy regulations. Now the new one has another thing to do - this time in Pennsylvania.

Privacy Matters

This latest lawsuit, reported by Gizmodo (opens in a new tab), claims that Apple's ineffective regulation amounts to "systematic violations of state wiretapping, privacy, and consumer fraud laws." The lawsuit states that "Simply put, Apple unlawfully records and uses consumers' personal information and activities on its consumers' mobile devices and applications ("Apps"), even when consumers have specifically indicated in Apple's mobile device settings that they do not want to the information they share."

It further claims that while Apple claims that none of the device analytics data is personally identifiable, the data appears to be transmitted via an ID number associated with individual iCloud accounts - accounts that contain information such as a user's name, address, and contact information. information

All of this, if true, is particularly embarrassing for Apple, a company that continues to promote its iPhone as the best option for privacy users who want to control who has access to their data. Apple has also yet to comment on whether or not the iPhone Analytics feature is working as intended,  and we've reached out to the Cupertino company for comment.

Apple often cites privacy and security as one of the iPhone's best features, but that and other class-action lawsuits aren't helping its case -- neither is radio silence.

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