Apple Dismissed From $32.8 Billion CSAM Lawsuit; Court Rules Tech Companies Not Liable for User-Uploaded Content

According to court documents, U.S. Federal Judge Noël Wise of the Northern District of California dismissed a class action lawsuit against Apple related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) allegedly stored and distributed via iCloud. The court ruled that Apple is protected under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and bears no legal responsibility for user-uploaded content.

The plaintiffs, representing approximately 2,680 victims, had sought up to $32.8 billion in damages, claiming their childhood sexual abuse images were stored and circulated through iCloud for years. Judge Wise determined that the case effectively sought to hold Apple liable for user-created and uploaded content, which falls within federal protections. The ruling was dismissed with prejudice, preventing the same claims from being refiled.