Microsoft’s linkedIn faced a lawsuit from a New York-based iPhone user on Friday. The user accused of reading and diverting sensitive content from Apple’s Universal Clipboard.
Apple’s website explains that Universal Clipboard lets users copy text, images, and videos on one Apple device and paste them onto another.
Adam Bauer filed the lawsuit in San Francisco federal court, claiming accessed Clipboard data without notifying users.
LinkedIn has not yet responded to Reuters’ request for comment.
Media reports last week revealed that 53 apps, including TikTok and LinkedIn, accessed Universal Clipboard content. Apple’s new privacy feature alerted users with a banner saying, “pasted from Messages.”
Bauer’s lawsuit argues that it has exploited this feature. It claims LinkedIn triggered “paste” commands without user consent.
The executive admitted on Twitter that the app accessed clipboard data. The company has since released a new version to stop this behavior.
Developers testing iOS 14 found that frequently accessed clipboard data on iPhones and iPads, the complaint states.
The lawsuit seeks class-action status, allegedly violated California laws and social norms.
According to the complaint, LinkedIn also spied on nearby devices and bypassed Apple’s Universal Clipboard timeout.