It’s not just the EU that has a grudge against Apple; after being imposed a hefty fine in the Spotify affair in March, then another at the start of the school year for non-compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), this time, the problem is internal. Amar Bhakta, employee of the digital communications department, has just filed a complaint in California against the Cupertino giant. Pattern : a little too close monitoring of its employees.
An ecosystem transformed into a digital prison
The surveillance system put in place by Apple, according to the complainant, is well established. Employees would be forced to install specific software on their personal devices used for work. This tool would then allow the company to access a multitude of private applications : electronic messaging, photo libraries, health data, connected home information.
Employees would also be required to link their personal iCloud accounts to the company, giving Apple access to their geolocation data, even outside office hours. The lawsuit also accuses the company of forcing its employees to consent to a policy allowing the company to monitor them by electronic, physical and visual means.
The Silicon Valley gag
This total control strategy would extend even beyond the purely technical framework. Bhakta, employed since 2020, was banned any intervention in podcasts concerning his work. The company even forced him to delete comments on his working conditions published on the professional network LinkedIn. This restrictive policy even concerns my discussions on salaries and working conditions, hindering the legal protections granted to whistleblowers.
“ Apple’s surveillance policies and practices unlawfully deter and restrict whistleblowers, competition, employee freedom of movement in the labor market, and freedom of expression “, denounces the complaint. Another powerful passage from the court document states: “ For Apple employees, the Apple ecosystem is not a walled garden. It’s a prison yard. A panopticon where employees, on duty or not, are perpetually subject to Apple’s omniscient eye “.
Faced with these accusations, Apple maintains its line of defense: Bhakta’s allegations are falseand the company says it trains its employees annually on their rights to discuss working conditions. “ At Apple, we’re focused on creating the world’s best products and services, and we strive to protect the inventions our teams make for our customers. (…) We strongly disagree with these accusations and believe that they are unfounded. » said Josh Rosenstock, spokesperson for the company.
However, this case adds to an earlier complaint filed in June by two women denouncing salary inequalities in the engineering, marketing and AppleCare divisions. If Bhakta’s allegations prove true, the firm’s reputation would take a big hit.
- An Apple employee accuses the company of improperly monitoring its employees’ personal and iCloud devices.
- Apple is also accused of restricting the freedom of expression of its employees, particularly on salaries and working conditions.
- For the moment, the company formally denies these accusations.
