The global company Apple recently released a new version of its iPhone software, iOS 17.5. Apple is well-known for using its operating system (OS). Following the update, numerous users, primarily on international online communities, reported a bug reviving long-deleted photos in their albums.
One user on an online community claimed that after this OS update, photos deleted in 2021 reappeared in Apple’s proprietary cloud, iCloud. According to this user, these photos were stored in the Recently Added folder on iCloud. Similar issues have been shared on online communities, with users stating, “Four photos taken 14 years ago have reappeared on iCloud,” “Deleted photos keep reappearing repeatedly,” and “Old photos taken with a Canon camera are showing up as if they were recently added,” and “Seeing old photos reappear is creepy.”
In response, some users suspect that Apple may be storing their photos. Apple does not immediately delete photos from other devices, including iPhones. Instead, it stores them in a separate folder named Recently Deleted Items for up to 30 days. During this period, users can permanently delete the photos. After 30 days, the system automatically deletes them. Access to this folder requires authentication, such as Face ID or a password.
So far, Apple has not commented on this bug, and the exact cause remains undetermined. Industry insiders speculate that the issue could be due to various factors, including damage to the photo library, indexing bugs, and synchronization issues between iPhones and iCloud devices. Some believe that the bug could be related to Apple’sApple’sus efforts to fix a photo synchronization bug in the iOS 17.3 update, suggesting that a server crash during the iCloud photo backup process caused by the recent update could be the culprit.
Apple has frequently used its privacy policy as a marketing strategy. Apple has enhanced its privacy protection and security capabilities through its proprietary OS. Furthermore, Apple has always maintained that it does not store personal information on its servers. However, this permanent photo deletion bug has exposed a gap in its security policy. Experts predict that Apple will respond to this incident, especially considering its active marketing around privacy protection.
Could consumers file a lawsuit if Apple is indeed storing photos without consent? Based on numerous precedents, consumers could potentially sue Apple. For example, Facebook faced a class-action lawsuit for unauthorized collection of facial recognition data without user consent and was forced to pay a settlement of hundreds of millions of dollars by court order. As Apple explicitly states that it does not store any personal information, if it is found to be holding onto photos without consent, it could face lawsuits for privacy violation, breach of contract, and invasion of privacy.
Apple has lost several lawsuits in the past. The most famous case is the “Batterygate” controversy. In 2017, allegations were raised against Apple for intentionally slowing down the performance of older iPhones. Although Apple acknowledged the issue and temporarily reduced the cost of battery replacements, it couldn’t take class-action lawsuits in several countries. As a result, Apple agreed to pay a settlement of $500 million in 2020 in a class-action lawsuit in the United States. This is a representative case where consumers won against Apple for intentionally hiding performance degradation.
While not involving individual consumers, Apple also partially lost a lawsuit against Epic Games, in which the court ruled that Apple must allow external payment methods. This partial defeat regarding the App Store’s policy is significant because it will enable consumers to use various payment methods.
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