A San Francisco judge has decided that Apple must face a lawsuit accusing the tech giant of neglecting the possible risks of stalking associated with its AirTags, according to a report from Bloomberg. US District Judge Vince Chhabria disallowed Apple’s request to dismiss the lawsuit despite the fact that a significant amount of the approximate 36 allegations were dismissed. The lawsuit was maintained due to claims from three plaintiffs who stated that they experienced substantial problems with the AirTags’ safety features during their ordeal of stalking, leading to their injuries.
The lawsuit contends that Apple was cautioned about the potential misuse of its Bluetooth tracking devices and therefore should be held accountable under Californian laws. However, Apple disagrees with this notion, according to Bloomberg’s report. Following the release of AirTags, Apple introduced a series of safety enhancements intended to deter stalking efforts, such as an update which will trigger a loud noise if the AirTags move a certain distance away from their registered owner and alerts regarding unknown trackers.
Furthermore, Apple and Google declared last year that they intend to collaboratively create industry standards to proactively tackle tracking device misuses. Regardless, the lawsuit claims that AirTags have “transformed into the preferred tool of stalkers and abusers,” as per Bloomberg. The lawsuit was registered in the Northern California district court.
