Apple Sued Over Privacy Concerns

Apple and several app makers are subjects of a lawsuit alleging they transmit iPad and iPhone users’ personal information to ad networks without proper consent.

The lawsuit, filed Dec. 23 in federal court in San Jose, California, charges Apple and eight app makers of intentionally intercepting the plaintiffs’ personal identifying information by using iPhone and iPad apps to capture the devices Unique Device ID (UDID) – the identifying number that Apple assigns to each of its iPhones and iPads. This information is allegedly then transmitted along with the devices’ location data to third-party advertisers.

“All of this is done without Plaintiffs’ consent and in violation of their legal rights,” reads the complaint.

The lawsuit further claims sending personal data without consent violates federal computer fraud and privacy laws. The suit is seeking class action status on behalf of all Apple iPhone and iPad users who downloaded an app between December 1, 2008 and the time of the filing.

In addition, the complaint contends that Apple allows ad networks to track what applications users download and how often they are used, and charges some app makers sell personal information to the ad networks including location, age, gender, income ethnicity, sexual orientation and even political views.

Other defendants include popular app makers Pandora, the Weather Channel Dictionarary.com.

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