Apple Wins Dismissal of Multi-Billion Dollar iCloud CSAM Lawsuit

U.S. District Judge Noël Wise in San Jose, California, dismissed the $32.8 billion class-action lawsuit on Tuesday, citing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects online platforms from liability for content posted by users.

The lawsuit, filed in 2024 by plaintiffs using the aliases 'Amy' and 'Jessica,' alleged that Apple failed to prevent images of their childhood sexual abuse from being stored and shared on iCloud. The case represented 2,680 individuals and sought compensatory damages as well as a court order requiring Apple to remove such content from iCloud.

The judge dismissed the case with prejudice, barring the plaintiffs from refiling. Wise wrote that 'it is up to lawmakers, not the court, to fix this problem that is contributing to the exploitation of children.'

Plaintiffs' attorney James Marsh said they are considering an appeal and other legal options. He agreed with the judge that Congress should do more to protect children online. Attorney Hillary Nappi added that the decision 'adds urgency to pending legislative efforts to hold technology companies accountable for harm caused by their design choices.'

The lawsuit alleged Apple knew about CSAM on iCloud but abandoned its planned NeuralHash detection system and introduced end-to-end encryption, making detection harder. Apple denied the claims, stating it uses other measures to combat CSAM while protecting privacy. A separate lawsuit by West Virginia's attorney general, filed in February 2026, is still ongoing.