The Word "Hide" Is Now a Legal Question

Part of the ongoing Big Tech's War on Users series.When I wrote Part 1 of the privacy asterisk series back in April, one of the smaller points in a long list was that "Hide My Email" doesn't mean what it sounds like it means. There are documented cases of Apple handing over the real address behind a Hide My Email alias to federal agents, under warrant, exactly as their terms of service say they will. Nothing improper about that — Apple followed the process. The problem was the gap between what the name implies and what the feature actually promises. It hides you from advertisers and spammers. It was never designed to hide you from Apple, and by extension, from anyone Apple is legally required to answer.That gap just got a second, much uglier example, and this one didn't need a warrant.9to5Mac reports that a California Apple customer, Anthony Alvarez, has filed a proposed class action over a flaw that let essentially anyone unmask the real email address behind a Hide My Email alias —…