THE UK's information watchdog is investigating Apple following whistleblower claims that the Silicon Valley giant had gained access to employee information via their mobile phones.

Former senior Apple engineer Ashley Gjovik filed a complaint to the UK Data Protection Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) which suggested the iPhone maker used unlawful data collection processes over "years and multiple countries" to gather personal information on its workers.

According to reports from the Telegraph, she also raised concerns that Apple was "pressuring its employees to participate in invasive data collection procedures, including scans of ears/ear canals".

Gjovik was fired from Apple last year for breaking company rules about leaking information.

An Apple spokesperson told the paper: "We take all concerns seriously and we thoroughly investigate whenever a concern is raised". This is her first attempt to raise her claim in the UK.

(c) 2022 City A.M., source Newspaper