Apple may pride itself on protecting customer privacy, but a recent lawsuit suggests its employees might not enjoy the same safeguards. Filed in California state court, the complaint accuses Apple of illegally monitoring employees’ personal devices and suppressing discussions about pay and workplace conditions.
Amar Bhakta, a digital advertising employee at Apple since 2020, claims the company requires staff to install software on personal devices used for work. This software allegedly grants Apple access to emails, photo libraries, health data, and even smart home devices. Yes, even your smart fridge might not be safe.
At the same time, Bhakta alleges that Apple enforces strict confidentiality policies, barring employees from openly discussing their working conditions. According to the lawsuit, Bhakta was told he couldn’t speak about his job on podcasts and was even asked to remove information about his role from LinkedIn. The complaint further accuses Apple of silencing whistleblowers, restricting employee mobility in the job market, and infringing on free speech rights.
Apple, unsurprisingly, denies the allegations. In a statement, the company called the lawsuit “lacking in merit” and emphasized that employees are annually trained on their rights to raise workplace concerns. Apple’s focus, the statement added, remains on “creating the best products and services” while protecting its intellectual property.
This isn’t the first time Apple has faced legal challenges over workplace practices. Earlier this year, two women accused the company of underpaying female employees in engineering and other departments. Meanwhile, the U.S. Labor Department is investigating claims that Apple discouraged employees from discussing pay discrimination and other issues on social media and workplace messaging platforms.
Bhakta’s lawsuit leverages a California law that allows employees to sue on behalf of the state, with the potential to receive 35% of any recovered penalties. Whether Apple will face a financial hit or a public relations crisis remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: this legal battle is far from over.
