World-renowned brand Samsung Electronics is facing a class action lawsuit alleging that the company is collecting and disclosing personal data of visitors to its website, Samsung.com. The lawsuit, represented by Robert G. Loewy and Dwoskin Wasdin LLP, accuses the South Korean brand of violating the California Infringement of Privacy Act and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.
The lawsuit has been filed in a California court and seeks a jury trial, damages, the deletion of all such data by Samsung and an injunction preventing the brand from accessing user information without their consent. In addition, the brand has also asked an Illinois judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed against it, in which the plaintiffs allege that Samsung collects biometric information from users’ private gallery photos.
Samsung Electronics
It is a multinational company based in Suwon, South Korea. Founded by Lee Byung-chul in 1969, it is mainly engaged in the electronics and high-end information technology sectors. It is currently headquartered in Samsung Town and has assembly plants and sales networks in 65 countries. Its production focuses mainly on consumer and industrial electronics products, such as household appliances, memory chips, integrated systems, digital devices and semiconductors.
Class action lawsuit
Bad news for Samsung and also for its customers. The brand is facing a class action lawsuit filed by Vedat Asrak in a California state court. According to the plaintiff, Samsung Electronics America Inc. allegedly violated state and federal privacy laws. According to the lawsuit, the brand is allegedly collecting and disclosing non-consensual and unlawful private data of users visiting its official website.
What exactly is Samsung accused of?
According to Asrak and the other plaintiffs, Samsung’s website is collecting browsing and private data from users accessing its official website, samsung.com. When accessing this website, as in many others, a banner appears in which the user can select their preferences regarding browsing cookies. However, it appears that despite being able to disable the multiple options, the website still has access to the analysis of the site’s traffic, as well as to track the items that are purchased by the consumer. The plaintiffs accuse the brand of collecting and disclosing personal data to third parties, even when the user explicitly chooses to disable such permissions.
What laws is Samsung breaking?
These Samsung practices are described by Asrak as methods to infringe on users’ privacy. It alleges that the brand knowingly misleads consumers, and to top it off, allows third-party companies access to the private details of users’ browsing histories and preferences. The lawsuit specifies that at least two laws are being violated: the California Invasion of Privacy Act and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. In addition, Samsung is also accused of intrusion into seclusion, invasion of privacy, unjust enrichment, and violation of California’s Unfair Competition Law and the Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act.
Whats is being requested?
This lawsuit, represented by Robert G. Loewy of the Law Offices of Robert G. Loewy P.C. and Eric S. Dwoskin of Dwoskin Wasdin LLP, demands a jury trial, damages, that Samsung delete all information obtained in this manner, and that a court order be issued preventing Samsung from using its technology to obtain private information without users’ consent. Asrak encourages all affected individuals to join this lawsuit, committing to represent them.
What does Samsung say about this?
Samsung has not commented on the matter and appears to be awaiting a response from the California State Court. In addition, it seems to be busy settling another class action lawsuit. This time it is accused of obtaining biometric information by illegally (of course) accessing the galleries of its users’ devices. What do you think will happen to Samsung? Will customer confidence be affected after these events?
Find out what other class action lawsuits against large companies have ended happily!