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On May 2, 2026, at least 16 plaintiffs filed individual product liability lawsuits against Apple Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, including Jane Doe v. Apple Inc. (Case Nos. 3:26-cv-03914, 3:26-cv-03980, and 3:26-cv-03982), Sanders v. Apple Inc. (Case No. 3:26-cv-03974), Johnson v. Apple Inc. (Case No. 3:26-cv-03975), and others [1]. The filings came two months after U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria declined to certify a class of alleged AirTag stalking victims, prompting plaintiffs to pursue their claims individually.
Background: The Original Class Action
The litigation began in December 2022, when plaintiffs Lauren Hughes and Jane Doe filed a class action lawsuit in the Northern District of California alleging that Apple knowingly released a product whose misuse in stalking was foreseeable and inevitable. The complaint alleged that Apple “heedlessly forged ahead” despite warnings from advocates and technologists who urged the company to reconsider the product’s design before launch [2].
Judge Chhabria allowed three significant claims to proceed while partially granting Apple’s motion to dismiss, ruling that product liability claims from consumers outside California were governed by those states’ laws. He described it as his “tentative view” that plaintiffs had “adequately alleged a negligence claim” on behalf of California plaintiffs — and characterized Apple as “likely negligent” in its AirTag design.
What Is the Alleged Design Defect?
Apple AirTags are coin-sized Bluetooth tracking devices sold for approximately $29, designed to help users locate lost items by leveraging Apple’s vast Find My network of Bluetooth-enabled devices. Plaintiffs allege the devices were designed in a way that made them easily concealable and exploitable by stalkers — hidden in purses, sewn into clothing, and placed on or in vehicles to track victims’ locations in real time without their knowledge or consent.
The lawsuits allege that Apple’s anti-stalking safeguards — including notifications sent to nearby iPhones when an unknown AirTag is detected — were insufficient and arrived too late to prevent harm. An actress plaintiff described in court proceedings gave up her career, visa, and home country to escape a stalker who used an AirTag to track her whereabouts.
Incidents and Injuries
Each of the 16-plus individual lawsuits filed in May 2026 includes the personal story of the plaintiff and a specific account of how an AirTag was used to track them without their knowledge or consent. Plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and an injunction against Apple’s alleged unlawful business practices.
What Apple Has Said
Apple has defended its AirTags as incorporating “industry-first” safety features and has argued that the product was not designed or intended to be used for stalking. The company has made updates to its anti-stalking notification systems since the original class action was filed. Judge Chhabria’s refusal to certify the class does not end the litigation — it means each plaintiff must now prove their individual case rather than proceeding as a group.
Can I File a Lawsuit?
Individuals who were stalked or tracked without their consent using an Apple AirTag may have significant legal options against Apple Inc. Contact an attorney promptly to have your case evaluated.
References
1. https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/apple-airtag-stalking-claims-move-to-individual-lawsuits-after-class-action-fails/
2. https://news.justia.com/amp/stalking-victims-bring-class-action-lawsuit-against-apple-over-airtags