U.S. District Judge Noël Wise has dismissed a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing Apple of failing to stop child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from being stored and shared via iCloud. The lawsuit, filed by two survivors identified as Amy and Jessica, alleged that images of their childhood abuse continued to circulate on iCloud, and that Apple knowingly neglected to use available tools to detect and report such content.

Apple was shielded by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a federal law that generally protects online services from liability as publishers of user-generated content. Judge Wise agreed with Apple's argument that the company is immune from claims seeking to hold it responsible for failing to remove or block content created by users. The plaintiffs had argued that Apple's decision to abandon its Neural Hash system in 2021 was a key factor in their continued exposure.

The proposed class action sought to represent thousands of other survivors, with later filings estimating the class at 2,680 people and potential damages up to $32.8 billion. Despite the dismissal with prejudice, meaning the case cannot be refiled, the plaintiffs' attorney indicated they are considering an appeal and exploring other legal avenues.