Texas lawyers file class action suit against Facebook, Twitter, Apple and 15 other companies, alleging privacy rights violations associated with mobile apps

A consortium of Texas attorneys have filed a federal class action lawsuit in Austin, Texas against Facebook, Apple, Twitter, Foursquare, Electronic Arts, Yelp and 11 other companies, asserting privacy rights violations associated with the use of mobile apps.

“The lawsuit contends that some of today’s biggest technology, interactive, social networking and gaming companies have used mobile Apps that pose as video games or photo-sharing or networking services to secretly take mobile phone and tablet computer owners’ private Address Book Data,” says a press release under the name of one of the firms, The Edwards Law Firm. (The other plaintiff firms are Law Offices of Carl F. Schwenker and the Jordan Law Firm.)

The allegations contained in the lawsuit have not been proven in court.

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (Austin Division), alleges numerous violations of state and federal laws and seeks injunctive relief and recoveries for a class of iPhone, iPad, iPod and Android wireless mobile device owners whose private Address Book Data was allegedly taken and used without their prior permission.

“Privacy is a fundamental American right,” said plaintiffs’ lead counsel Jeff Edwards. “It does not take a back seat to technology or cease to exist whenever someone wishes to enjoy a video game or some other App on his or her wireless mobile phone.”