What you need to know
- Apple is under investigation for deceptive trade practices.
- A leaked document reveals that multiple states are involved.
- It does not indicate specifically what the investigation is targeting.
Apple is already under a congressional investigation for antrust practices along with Google, Amazon, and Facebook. That is not, however, the only investigation going on against the company in the United States.
Reported by Axios, a document acquired by tech watchdog Tech Transparency Project indicates that Apple is being investigated by multiple states for deceptive trade practices.
The Texas attorney general may sue Apple for violating the state's deceptive trade practices law in connection with a multi-state investigation, according to the document, obtained by the Tech Transparency Project through a public records request and shared with Axios Thursday ... The Texas AG's Consumer Protection Division "initiated this investigation for enforcement purposes. If violations are uncovered, CPD will initiate enforcement proceedings. Accordingly, the OAG anticipates litigation in this matter," the document reads.
The document does not specify what specifically Apple is being investigated for and what other states are involved outside of Texas. According to Axios, neither the Texas Attorney General nor Apple would comment on the investigation.
It's not clear what specific practices Texas or any other states are looking into or the current status of the investigation. The document doesn't describe the investigation in detail or identify the other states involved ... A spokesperson for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said it is "long-standing OAG policy" not to "comment on, confirm or deny any pending or potential investigations." ... Apple declined comment.
This investigation is separate from the antitrust investigation by Congress against Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon, Tim Cook, along with Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Sundar Pichai, are all schedule to appear before the House Judicial Committee starting next week.
