“The incident came to light after a customer discovered that a private photo ‒ stored only on their personal device ‒ was being used as a profile picture on a Tinder account under the name ‘Nam, 30’. The image, according to the customer, had never been published online,” Pol Lt Watcharakon Suwan, an investigator at Wichit Police said.
The customer traced the breach back to Studio7 Central Phuket, where they had recently brought in their device for servicing, he noted.
“An internal investigation revealed that an employee, later identified as Siwasan Thanyakarn, had used AirDrop to transfer the private image from the customer’s device to his own phone. He then shared the image in a Telegram group with five other employees, totaling six staff members involved in the breach,” he explained.
“Although only one customer has formally filed a police complaint so far, the company acknowledged the potential for more victims and is cooperating fully with law enforcement,” Pol Lt Watcharakon said.
Studio7 stated that it considers the act a serious violation of company policy and customer trust.
In an official statement, the company emphasised that it has strict regulations forbidding staff from accessing or storing customer data, particularly when devices are brought in for service.
“All involved employees have been dismissed, and legal proceedings are now underway,” the announcement from Studio7 confirmed.
Studio7 also stressed that it has reviewed and strengthened its internal security protocols and will continue regular staff training on data privacy.
Studio7 concluded by reiterating its “sincere regret” for the incident and its commitment to transparency, privacy protection and social responsibility.
The case is now under the supervision of police, customers with related concerns are encouraged to report them directly to the police station.
Studio7 has retail branches nationwide and is recognised as an authorised seller of Apple products in Thailand.