Apple faces Illinois class action over Photos face recognition

Apple will face a class-action lawsuit in Illinois over claims that the Photos app’s face recognition features violated the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), according to a report published by 9to5Mac on August 3, 2026.

The case concerns Apple Photos and its face recognition functions. The lawsuit alleges Apple collected or processed biometric data through these features without complying with Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act, or BIPA, which regulates how companies handle biometric identifiers and biometric information.

9to5Mac reported on August 3, 2026, that a judge allowed the case to proceed as a class action. The report said the potential financial exposure could exceed $30 billion if Apple is found liable under BIPA.

The source material does not provide further procedural details beyond the judge’s decision to allow the class action to move forward. The report identifies Apple, the Photos app, and Illinois BIPA as the central elements of the case.

Related questions

• What is Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA)?
• What face recognition features in Apple Photos are named in the lawsuit?
• Why could the Apple class action exceed $30 billion?