Apple agrees to pay $95 million for the Siri Eavesdropping lawsuit
Apple has reached a $95 million settlement over a lawsuit accusing the company of eavesdropping and recording user conversations with SIRI.
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A California woman is suing SC Johnson, the maker of Ziploc. Because they say their products contain private microplastics that mislead and harm consumers.
Linda Cheslow, of Santa Rosa, California, filed a class action complaint in the U.S. District Court in Northern California on April 25th, according to court records.
Cheslow’s complaint alleges that some Ziploc products are sold as microwaves or frozen microplastics, and are “funtially ineligible” for advertised use when they are microwaved or frozen.
It was called SC Johnson’s alleged misrepresentation “unfair, illegal, deceptive and misleading.”
The lawsuit is a class action lawsuit, which means it was filed with anyone across the country who purchased the product.
USA Today contacted SC Johnson for comment.
The lawsuit against Ziploc raises concerns over potential microplastics
The lawsuit alleges that Ziploc bags and containers labeled “microwave safety” and “freezer” can be safely used with those appliances.
However, the lawsuit alleges that the product is made of materials that release microplastics when used in microwaves or freezers “leached into consumer food.”
“Material omissions make sense for consumers as research shows that microplastic intake poses serious health risks, including potential harm to the digestive tract, immune system and reproductive system,” the lawsuit states.
What is microplastic? Are they harmful?
Microplastics are small plastic particles that result from broken plastic, according to a study by the National Library of Medicine.
A 2023 study by the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology shows that microwave heating in plastic containers releases large quantities of microplastics into internal foods. The same study found that refrigeration of plastic containers releases large amounts of microplastics over the course of six months.
Over time, ingesting many microplastics can cause a variety of health issues, according to the Environmental Working Group.
Which products are included in the Ziploc class action lawsuit?
Products included in the lawsuit are Ziploc bags and containers labeled “microwave safety,” “freezer,” or both.
According to the initial complaints, they include, but are not limited to:
- Ziploc freezer bag pint/small
- Ziploc freezer bag quart/medium
- Ziploc freezer bag gallon/large
- Ziploc Slider Freezer Bag Quart/Medium
- Ziploc slider freezer gallon/big bag
- Ziploc Slider Storage Bag Quart/Medium
- Ziploc slider storage bag gallon/large
- Ziploc container
What happens in the case of Ziploc?
A class action lawsuit is a type of civil lawsuit brought on behalf of a group of people who have been equally harmed by the same entity, according to Harvard Law School. The court must certify the case as a class action before it proceeds to one.
In a class action lawsuit that reaches a settlement, members of the class who choose the case receive an equal portion of the money.
The plaintiffs in the suit against SC Johnson are promoting the definition of a class of litigation to be defined as all consumers across the country who purchased the product within the applicable limit period.
For California consumers, the complaint called for a restriction law, defined as the last four years.
Melina Kahn is a trending reporter covering USA Today’s national news. She can be contacted at mkhan@gannett.com.