A federal judge has dumped the bulk of a sprawling class action accusing smartphone makers of installing software that spies on customers, logs keystrokes and other data, sends information to telecom providers and drains batteries – in violation of federal and state wiretap laws.
Carrier IQ and various telecoms were hit in 2011 with a raft of class actions alleging that it used a device called IQRD to access smartphones while hiding its presence and subverting standard operating system functions or other applications.
A consolidated amended class action in San Francisco federal court alleges violations of the Federal Wiretap Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and the Stored Communications Act, as well as multiple federal and state-law warranty and consumer-protection claims.
Carrier IQ agreed in principle to settle the class action this past November, leaving smartphone makers HTC, Huawei, LG and Samsung on the hook.
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