Apple can’t get out of a class action lawsuit over AirTags stalking claims

A San Francisco judge has ruled that Apple must face a lawsuit accusing the company of negligence over potential stalking risks created by its AirTags. reports. Although most of the roughly three dozen claims in the class action were dismissed, U.S. District Judge Vince Chabria rejected Apple’s motion to dismiss the case based on claims by three plaintiffs that “when pursued, the problems with the Safety Features of AirTag were significant and that these safety defects caused their injuries.

While the lawsuit claims Apple was warned about the potential abuse of its Bluetooth item trackers and should therefore be liable under California law, Apple disagrees, according to Bloomberg. After releasing AirTags, Apple later released safety features designed to thwart stalking attempts, such as an update that made AirTags make a loud sound when they get within a certain distance of their owner and notifications for unknown trackers. Apple and Google also announced last year that they are working together to develop industry standards to proactively combat the misuse of tracking devices.

However, the lawsuit alleges that AirTags have “become the weapon of choice for stalkers and abusers.” Bloomberg reports. The case was filed in the District Court of Northern California.