Tampa, Florida – Two Apple (NASD: AAPL) customers have filed a class action
lawsuit against the company, alleging computer fraud law violations over the
recent revelation that its iPhone and iPad record location data about users.
Filed in federal court in Florida, the suit seeks an injunction requiring Apple
to disable the feature, as well as unspecified damages.
"By secretly
installing software that records users every moves Apple has accessed
Plaintiffs’ computers, in the course of interstate commerce or communication,
in excess of the authorization provided by Plaintiffs as described in the
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act," the complaint states.
Meanwhile, Sen. Al
Franken (D-Minn.) has summoned Apple and Google (NASD: GOOG) to testify before a hearing of
the Judiciary Committee on Privacy, Technology and the Law on May 10.
"The same technology that has given us smartphones,
tablets, and cell phones has also allowed these devices to gather extremely
sensitive information about users, including detailed records of their daily
movements and location," Franken said.
Franken is among several lawmakers
to have written Apple seeking details of the iPhone and iPad location tracking
feature after its existence was revealed.
In related news, CNET reports that Microsoft’s (NASD: MSFT)
Windows Phone 7 software also collects data about device location, but does not
store that location on the device itself — instead transmitting it back to
Microsoft.
Related Links:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/04/iphone-customers-lawsuit-data/
http://tinyurl.com/3kngbq7
(Ars Technica)
i am confused why apple wants to track its users but i am having no worry coz only criminals will be worried about this tracking system.