Apple faces a proposed class action lawsuit that alleges the company ignored child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on its iCloud service. An unnamed 9-year-old plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe in the legal filing, brought the case forward. The lawsuit claims that perpetrators coerced the child into creating and uploading explicit material using an iPad, which then stored the content on iCloud.
New Allegations Raise Privacy Concerns
The lawsuit accuses Apple of “privacy-washing,” suggesting that the tech giant uses privacy as a shield to avoid responsibility for CSAM proliferation on its platforms. A UK-based organization previously accused Apple of underreporting incidents of child abuse material on iCloud. The suit highlights concerns about Apple’s inconsistent stance on privacy, pointing out how the company promotes privacy in its marketing while allegedly failing to protect children on its platforms.
Calls for Stricter Child Protection on iCloud
Plaintiffs demand a jury trial and seek damages exceeding $5 million for each affected individual in the class action. The lawsuit also urges Apple to implement stricter measures to prevent CSAM storage and distribution on iCloud. Proposed measures include mandatory quarterly third-party monitoring and creating an easily accessible reporting system for users.
This lawsuit brings the ongoing debate over privacy and safety in the digital age to the forefront. As Apple faces these serious allegations, the tech world will closely watch how the company responds and whether it will implement the demanded changes.
