Staff didn’t steal information from customers phones: Apple

October 14, 2016 11:17 am | Updated December 01, 2016 05:51 pm IST - Sydney

The iPhone 7 Plus

The iPhone 7 Plus

Hit by a photo-sharing scandal with reports claiming that Apple staff lifted information from customers’ phones that came for repair, the company on Friday denied that any such episode happened at the Carindale store in Queensland.

Courier Mail reported on Thursday that employees at the store were fired after they were found sharing photos of customers.

The Cupertino, San Francisco-based company, however, said they have not found any such evidence so far.

“Based on our investigation thus far, we have seen no evidence that customer data or photos were inappropriately transferred or that anyone was photographed by these former employees,” the Apple statement said.

According to Courier Mail, Australian Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim has asked for more information in the incident.

“We are aware of the reports and will be making inquiries with Apple to seek further information. This is an important reminder that all organisations that collect and manage personal information need to embed a culture of privacy and ensure employees understand their responsibilities,” Pilgrim was quoted as saying.

Steph Doukas, 28, who gave her phone for repair, was in shock.

“If it happened to me I would just be distraught. All my information was on my phone and backed up to my iCloud, and I just left it with them,” she was quoted as saying.

Queensland Police also visited the Carindale store to seek more information. “Any person who wishes to make a complaint is asked to contact police,” a spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the senior staff at various Apple stores warned employees not to take photographs of colleagues or customers, the report added.

“Apple believes in treating everyone equally and with respect, and we do not tolerate behaviour that goes against our values,” the statement further read.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.