Husband Sues Apple After Wife Finds Deleted Messages Which Led to Divorce

A British businessman is suing technology giant Apple for £5 million, alleging that the company’s misleading information about deleting messages contributed to his divorce.

The businessman, who remains unnamed, claims that deleted messages, which he believed were permanently erased, were still accessible on his family’s iMacultimately exposing his infidelity.

According to reports from The Times, the issue arose when the man’s wife discovered messages on their iMac that he had previously deleted from his iPhone.

These messages were not only recent but also included communications from several years ago with sex workers, which he thought had been completely wiped from all devices.

The man expressed his frustration over the discovery, stating, “If you are told a message is deleted, you are entitled to believe it’s deleted.” He revealed that the unexpected discovery by his wife led to a painful and abrupt end to their marriage.

He argues that Apple’s iMessage system is inherently misleading. The system indicates that messages are deleted, but it does not clarify that this deletion is limited to the device in use and does not extend to other linked devices within the Apple ecosystem.

This, he claims, was a critical oversight that misled him and ultimately had severe personal consequences.

The legal action he is now pursuing aims to recover over £5 million in damages, encompassing both his divorce settlement and the associated legal expenses.

His lawyer, Simon Walton of Rosenblatt Law Firm, emphasized that Apple’s failure to provide clear instructions on the permanence of message deletion has misled many users besides his client.

“Apple had not been clear with users as to what happens to messages they send and receive and, importantly, delete,” Walton said.

The businessman’s case brings to light issues concerning user data and privacy, especially how information is managed across multiple devices. As this case unfolds, it could set a precedent for how tech companies disclose information about data deletion and user privacy.

He said: “In many cases, the iPhone informs the user that messages have been deleted but, as we have seen, that isn’t true and is misleading because they are still found on other linked devices — something Apple doesn’t tell its users.”

“I would be eager to hear from other Apple customers who have experienced similar issues,” he added.