Privacy Suit Filed Against Apple for iPhone and iPad Applications, Another Patent Infringement Suit Looms

Just a couple of weeks after the Department of Commerce Internet Policy Task Force released its first privacy report encouraging the government to set out privacy principles to ensure consumer protections, Jonathan Lalo is filing a privacy lawsuit against Apple, Inc. According to Bloomberg Businessweek,the suit alleges that Apple's iPhones and iPads are encoded with identifying devices that allow for third party advertisers to track application users' downloading activity.

The suit is seeking a class action status for customers who downloaded applications on either an iPad or iPhone beginning December 2008 up until last week.  The claim, the transmission of personal information, violates federal computer fraud and privacy laws.

Apple is not the first technology company facing privacy issues. Both Google and Facebook recently came under fire for their own privacy violations.  

As we wait to see what happens with Lalo v. Apple, 10-5878, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Jose),  Apple's legal woes continue as Microsoft's Paul Allen re-filed a patent infringement suit against Apple and listing 10 other technology firms as defendants (including Google and Facebook).

For more information on the patent suit, see article, Paul Allen Revises Patent Suit Against 11 Tech Firms.