Apple AirTag lawsuits overview:
- Who: The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation centralized nearly three dozen stalking lawsuits against Apple Inc.
- Why: The panel found the cases share common questions about whether Apple released its AirTag with inadequate safeguards to prevent it from being used for stalking.
- Where: The Apple AirTag multidistrict litigation will proceed in California federal court.
- How to get help: If someone used an Apple AirTag to track your location and subjected you to stalking, harassment or physical harm, you may be eligible to pursue legal action.
Nearly three dozen Apple lawsuits alleging Apple AirTags were defectively designed and enabled stalking have been consolidated in California for coordinated pretrial proceedings.
On Oct. 2, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ordered the Apple lawsuits transferred to the Northern District of California, assigning them to U.S. District Judge Noël Wise in San Jose.
The panel found the lawsuits share common factual questions about AirTag safety features and whether Apple adequately addressed the risk that its tracking devices could be misused.
The Apple lawsuits were filed in at least 10 states, including Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Washington.
The plaintiffs allege that domestic violence perpetrators hid AirTags in their belongings, vehicles or their children’s belongings to track their movements in real time, causing them serious harm.
Apple AirTag lawsuits raise product safety questions
The consolidated litigation will examine whether Apple knew about the stalking risks associated with AirTags at launch, whether the devices had adequate safety measures and whether safer designs were possible. The cases will also address whether Apple responded appropriately to reports that AirTags were being used to track victims.
The panel said centralizing the Apple lawsuits would avoid duplicative discovery, reduce the risk of inconsistent pretrial rulings and conserve resources for the parties and courts.
It also noted that the number of cases could grow, with plaintiffs citing allegations that Apple received tens of thousands of stalking-related complaints about AirTags.
Apple opposed consolidation but argued that if the cases were coordinated, they should be sent to the Middle District of Florida. Some plaintiffs had sought to centralize the litigation in Arizona, where a judge was already handling related cases. The panel instead selected Northern California, where Apple is headquartered and related litigation has been pending.
The decision follows earlier proceedings in a California case brought by stalking victims in December 2022. Earlier this year, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria declined to certify a class, finding that the litigation should proceed as coordinated multidistrict litigation rather than as a class action.
The new consolidated proceedings do not resolve the allegations or determine whether Apple is liable. Instead, they establish one court to oversee pretrial matters across the related lawsuits.
Do you think Apple AirTags lack sufficient safeguards against stalking? Let us know in the comments.
The Apple AirTag multidistrict litigation is In re: Apple AirTag Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3199, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Don’t Miss Out!
Check out our list of Class Action Lawsuits and Class Action Settlements you may qualify to join!
Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:
