A lawsuit has been filed accusing Facebook of allegedly spying on Instagram users by using iPhone cameras. Earlier in July, there were talks that Facebook-owned Instagram was accessing cameras of some smartphones manufactured by Apple even when it was not being used. Facebook had outrightly denied the claims saying the Apple’s iOS 14 software wrongly sent notifications for the same even the app wasn’t using it. Facebook said it happened because of the bug and it was fixing the same. The lawsuit claimed that the photo sharing app Instagram was using the camera on purpose and it had nothing to do with the bug.
The lawsuit has been filed in San Francisco by a New Jersey based Instagram user Brittany Conditi. Conditi claimed that the app having access to her smartphone’s camera was being done on purpose. The plaintiff argues that Instagram and its owner Facebook monitor the most intimate and private moments of users. The suit says that in addition to all this, the app collects market research and valuable insights on its users. The plaintiff claimed that Instagram does more than it claims and monitors users without permission. The lawsuit pointed out that the app claims that it doesn’t use the camera of the device when not being in use.
The suit said that there is no justifiable reason for the app to access the cameras of its users when Instagram camera features are not in use. The plaintiffs alleged that Instagram and Facebook both illegally use cameras of users to find out what products they are using and then hike their advertising revenue. The plaintiffs have urged the court to certify the suit as a Class Action. Facebook has declined to comment on the development but in July it had said that the app doesn’t access cameras of users. Cameras have become an integral part of our life as they are essential for sharing some great moments with your friends on the social media platform.
