A federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit accusing Apple of failing to adequately limit child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on its iCloud service. The decision was issued by U.S. District Judge Noël Wise in the Northern District of California, who ruled that no existing law requires companies like Apple to identify or report such content.

The lawsuit, filed in December 2022 by two women using pseudonyms, alleged that Apple introduced a design intended to protect children but did not fully implement it or otherwise prevent the proliferation of CSAM on iCloud. The plaintiffs claimed that this failure contributed to further harm to victims of child sexual abuse.

Apple had argued that it was shielded by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which provides broad legal immunity to internet platforms for content posted by users. In her dismissal, Judge Wise noted that addressing the issue is ultimately a matter for legislators, stating that if lawmakers want to compel technology companies to take greater responsibility in curbing CSAM, they must enact laws requiring it.

The case was brought as a proposed class action on behalf of some 2,680 potential victims and underscored concerns about iCloud’s privacy settings allegedly allowing illegal material to be stored and shared with limited oversight. Increasing scrutiny from regulators has followed in recent months.

In February, the attorney general of West Virginia filed a separate lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the company facilitated the spread of CSAM. In March, Kansas’ attorney general warned that the state could pursue enforcement actions under consumer protection statutes if Apple did not improve its safeguards against such content on iCloud.

Apple declined to comment on the court ruling. Hillary Nappi, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, indicated that the legal team was reviewing the decision and considering further options. The lawsuit sought both changes to Apple’s policies and more than $1.2 billion in damages.