Apple accused of spying on employees' personal devices

Apple is facing a new lawsuit alleging that the company illegally monitors employees' personal devices and prevents them from discussing their working conditions. According to a recent report by Reuters, the complaint was filed in the California state court by Amar Bhakta, an employee at Apple's digital advertising division.

In the complaint, Bhakta claims that Apple requires workers to install software on their personal devices used for work, giving the company access to private data like emails, photos, and even health and smart home information.

Bhakta, who has been with Apple since 2020, also alleges that Apple enforces strict confidentiality policies that discourage employees from discussing pay, working conditions, or whistleblowing about workplace issues. He says he was told not to talk about his work on podcasts and was forced to remove details about his job from his LinkedIn profile, states the Reuters report.

The lawsuit argues that these practices violate employee rights by suppressing free speech and whistleblowing while limiting workers' ability to seek new job opportunities or raise workplace concerns.

Apple, through a spokesperson, dismissed the allegations as meritless and emphasised that employees receive annual training on their rights to discuss working conditions, adds the Reuters report. Apple also said that it prioritises creating high-quality products while protecting the intellectual property of its teams.

This lawsuit comes alongside other legal challenges for Apple. Earlier this year, two women accused the company of systematically underpaying female employees in certain divisions, claims Apple denies. 

Additionally, the US National Labor Relations Board is investigating multiple complaints that Apple has illegally discouraged employees from discussing issues like pay discrimination and workplace bias.

The current lawsuit was filed under a California law that allows employees to sue their employers on behalf of the state and claim a portion of any penalties recovered, as explained in the report.