Mike Wuerthele
Apple's investigation of allegations levied against employees at an Australian Apple store has determined that no customer data had been stolen, but the employees said to be at the center of the photo-stealing ring aren't off the hook for other misdeeds.
"We are investigating a violation of Apple's business conduct policy at our store in Carindale, where several employees have already been terminated as a result of our findings," Apple said in a statement. "We have seen no evidence that customer data or photos were inappropriately transferred or that anyone was photographed by these former employees."
The company's comment stops short of saying that the fired employees were blameless of all the accusations levied against them, however — just that they hadn't taken customer data.
The fired workers workers allegedly took over 100 "close-up and explicit" photos on their own, and distributed the images to other Apple Stores in Queensland, reports claimed on Wednesday.
"One person would take a photo and add it to the chat and others would give the person or their butt or their boobs a rating out of 10 and they would add their own side commentary," an Apple staffer from the Carindale Apple Store in Brisbane said on Wednesday. "Everyone feels uncomfortable and the female staff don't know how to feel because the leadership won't tell staff who is involved."
Queensland police are requesting that members of the Apple Store staff, or customers who believe their privacy has been violated to file a report. No charges have been filed, as of yet.
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13 Comments
I think a firing is too lenient. Apple should take legal action against the guilty employees.
Apple's public comment leaves the impression that it hasn't gotten to the bottom of the story yet, or isn't revealing all that it knows. So maybe another shoe will drop on this story.
I hope employees at other Apple stores become aware of this matter, so similar activities don't occur elsewhere. These children-pretending-to-be-adults have no respect either for their employer (Apple) or its customers. Until they get counseling, they aren't fit to work with the public.
If a police complaint is filed and arrests are made, we will have an opportunity to read more about these "men" in newspapers and on Facebook. Their names and faces will become public, all around the globe. Then, they will get what is coming to them. (Actually, maybe a little more than what's coming to them.)
Due largely to iPhone and the mobile computing revolution, those who behave like perverts in public will publicly become known as perverts. Not so much among strangers, but by their families and acquaintances. Their children and grandchildren will be able to Google it.
"The company's comment stops short of saying that the fired employees were blameless of all the accusations levied against them, however -- just that they hadn't taken customer data."
Hate to be the picky one, but... the statement doesn't say this. It just says evidence has not been found.
AS @stantheman suggests, I think Apple hasn't yet finished this..