Apple sued for misleading users about iCloud+ privacy benefits
What's the story
Apple is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit in California. The case, filed by Edward Rickman, accuses the tech giant of misleading consumers about the privacy benefits of its paid iCloud+ subscription tier. Rickman claims he bought iCloud+ specifically for its Private Relay feature, which Apple advertised as a way to "Hide your IP address and browsing activity in Safari and protect your unencrypted internet traffic."
Technical issues
Lawsuit claims Apple's WebKit had 3 flaws
Rickman's lawsuit claims that three flaws in Apple's WebKit, the technology behind its Safari browser, allowed websites to access users' real IP addresses even when the premium feature was enabled.
"Apple built its entire brand on the promise that it would protect its users' privacy when no other company would," Tim Giordano, a partner at Clarkson Law Firm, said.
He added that it's an "outrageous violation and betrayal of consumer trust and law."
Legal action
Case comes after $250 million settlement over Siri claims
The lawsuit seeks an injunction against Apple's alleged false marketing, along with attorneys' fees and at least $5 million in relief for all class members.
This includes US citizens who paid for iCloud+ and activated Private Relay during a specific period.
The case comes after Clarkson Law Firm secured a $250 million settlement from Apple over similar claims related to Siri's AI features earlier this year.
Privacy concerns
Lawsuit questions Apple's commitment to user privacy
The lawsuit questions Apple's commitment to user privacy, citing its own operating system uses passkeys that aren't routed through the relay designed to prevent IP addresses from accessing private information.
Two recent iOS updates in 2025 and 2026 also bypassed Private Relay, exposing users' IP addresses.
"Year after year, Plaintiff and Class Members paid subscription fees for iCloud+ in reliance on Apple's representations that Private Relay would hide their IP addresses and browsing activity," the complaint said.
Privacy measures
Apple defended App Tracking Transparency amid Facebook's criticism
The lawsuit also highlights Apple's App Tracking Transparency feature introduced in late 2020, which required apps like Facebook to get explicit permission before tracking users' activity across other sites.
Despite facing criticism from Facebook over these rules, Apple CEO Tim Cook defended the update saying "We believe users should have the choice over the data that is being collected about them and how it's used."