Amar Bhakta, a former digital advertiser at Apple, has filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging it engaged in illegal surveillance of its employees and suppressed their freedom of speech. Bhakta claims that Apple monitors employees’ personal devices, even when they are off-duty.
He asserts that the company requires employees to link their personal iCloud accounts to work systems, allowing Apple to install monitoring software on personal iPhones. This surveillance reportedly tracks employees’ emails, locations, photos, and videos, even during their personal time, extending into home office environments.
According to the lawsuit filed in a California state court, Bhakta describes Apple’s work environment as a “prison yard” where employees are constantly subjected to various forms of surveillance.
He argues that this includes not only physical monitoring but also video and electronic surveillance, creating an atmosphere of constant oversight. Bhakta’s claims suggest that Apple’s extensive tracking of personal devices infringes on employee privacy, going beyond the boundaries of workplace monitoring.
The lawsuit also accuses Apple of restricting employees’ rights to free speech. Bhakta claims that he was prohibited from discussing his job on his podcast and was instructed to remove his job title from his LinkedIn profile.
Former Apple Employee Sues for Illegal Surveillance and Free Speech Suppression
He argues that these actions by Apple have harmed his ability to find future employment, as they have damaged his professional reputation. Bhakta is seeking compensation for the personal harm he has suffered and is requesting that Apple make changes to prevent such practices in the future, particularly regarding free speech suppression.
Apple has strongly denied these accusations. A company spokesperson, Josh Rosenstock, refuted the claims of suppressing free speech, stating that Apple encourages employees to voice concerns about their wages, hours, and working conditions.
He emphasized that the company provides training to ensure employees understand their rights to express such concerns. Apple maintains that the surveillance allegations are not true, defending its actions and policies as legitimate.
This lawsuit is part of a broader pattern of legal challenges against Apple related to employee treatment. Bhakta’s law firm, Outten & Golden, is also representing two women who accused Apple of gender discrimination in pay.
These women claim that they were paid less than their male counterparts in roles such as engineering and customer support. The lawsuits, if successful, could result in significant financial penalties and force Apple to reevaluate its employee policies and practices.
