Apple Loses Bid to Dismiss Lawsuit Over Air Tag Stalking Concerns

US District Judge allows claims of negligence and product liability to proceed, citing alleged safety defects in the tracking device of Apple.

Apple’s Bid Dismissed

Apple Inc. failed in its attempt to dismiss a lawsuit accusing its Air Tag devices of aiding stalkers in tracking their targets. US District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco ruled on Friday that three plaintiffs in the class action suit had presented sufficient claims for negligence and product liability, though he dismissed others.

Plaintiffs’ Allegations

Around three dozen individuals who joined the lawsuit claimed that Apple had been notified of the dangers associated with its Air Tags and contended that the company could be held legally accountable under California law when the tracking devices are misused. In the surviving claims, the plaintiffs asserted that the Air Tag’s safety features were significantly flawed when they experienced stalking incidents, leading to their injuries, as stated by Chhabria.

Apple’s Defense

Apple contended that it had implemented “industry-first safety measures” in designing the Air Tag and should not be held responsible for its misuse.

“The determination cannot be made at this early stage,” the judge wrote, allowing the three plaintiffs to proceed with their claims. A company spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.

In the lawsuit, Apple was accused of negligently releasing the Air Tag despite warnings from advocacy groups and others that the product could be repurposed for surveillance. With its low price of just $29, the complaint alleged that it had become the preferred tool for stalkers and abusers.

Inadequacy of Safety Features

While Apple introduced a feature to alert users if an Air Tag might be tracking them, the lawsuit argued that this and other safety measures were insufficient.

Similar allegations are being faced by Tile Inc., whose tracking devices connected to Amazon.com Inc.’s Bluetooth network allegedly lack adequate protections against stalking.