Canadian law firm applies for class action lawsuit against Apple over FaceTime eavesdropping bug

“Montréal-based law firm Lambert Avocat Inc. has applied for a class action lawsuit against Apple with the Superior Court of Québec, seeking compensation for all persons exposed to a major FaceTime privacy bug that enabled users to eavesdrop on the people they call, according to its website,” Joe Rossignol reports for MacRumors.
“The proposed lawsuit seeks compensation for all Canadians who used FaceTime on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 12.1 or later, or a Mac running macOS Mojave 10.4.1 or later, in their possession,” Rossignol reports. “This is the first pending class action lawsuit against Apple we know of in relation to the FaceTime bug.”
Rossignol reports, “Due to the serious privacy implications of the FaceTime bug, there may be more class action lawsuits to follow in the United States and elsewhere.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: When you’re shouting about privacy being a fundamental human right and advocating for comprehensive federal privacy legislation, but then release slipshod, poorly-tested software that allows callers to hear and/or see even a second of audio/video without receivers’ permission – and the news breaks on Data Privacy Day, no less – plus you were informed of the flaw at least a week prior, you’re going to pay a price of some sort. Obviously, we’ll see if the price Apple pays for more sloppiness crosses from reputation hit into monetary territory soon enough.
It’s worth remembering that Group FaceTime was delayed back in August 2018 and did not debut in iOS 12 on September 17, 2018 but in iOS 12.1 on October 30, 2018, the day of Apple’s iPad Pro event. Was it rushed to make the event deadline? In hindsight, it seems so.
SEE ALSO:
New York state begins probe into Apple’s slow response to FaceTime eavesdropping flaw – January 30, 2019
Apple sued over FaceTime bug that lets people eavesdrop – January 30, 2019
Apple was alerted about FaceTime eavesdropping bug days ago, did nothing – January 29, 2019
Apple, champion of ‘privacy,’ utterly blows it with massively stupid FaceTime bug – January 29, 2019
Apple to patch audio bug in FaceTime that allows users to hear audio and see video from users who have not yet accepted a call – January 29, 2019
Apple CEO Cook calls for U.S. Congress to pass comprehensive federal privacy legislation in TIME op-ed – January 17, 2019
Apple releases iOS 12.1 with Group FaceTime, Depth Control in Camera, and more – October 30, 2018
Group FaceTime is only the latest of many Apple technologies to be delayed – August 17, 2018
Apple removes Group FaceTime from iOS 12 and macOS Mojave, delays launch to later this year – August 13, 2018
Apple CEO Cook promotes privacy as ‘fundamental human right’ via tweetstorm; asks ‘What kind of world do we want to live in?’ – October 24, 2018
Open letter to Tim Cook: Apple needs to do better – January 5, 2015