SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – Instagram is “constantly accessing” the cameras of its users’ phones, a new class action says.
The lawsuit, filed Sept. 17 in San Francisco federal court, accuses the company of spying on its customers despite claims it only accesses the camera when it is told to.
“This access goes beyond the services that Instagram promises to provide,” the suit says. “Instagram has no legitimate reason for accessing users’ smartphone cameras when they are not using the Instagram camera feature.
“By doing so, Defendants have been able to monitor users’ most intimate moments, including those in the privacy of their own homes, in addition to collecting valuable insight and market research on its users.”
The goal is to collect as much data about its users as possible in order to sell targeted advertising space, the suit says. An update to iPhones that notifies users when third parties are accessing information was the spark that ignited the lawsuit.