Oura Sued Over Claims It Misled Consumers About Sleep-Tracking Accuracy

Clarkson Law Firm, based in San Francisco, filed a proposed class action lawsuit on Thursday against smart ring maker Oura, accusing the company of deceiving consumers about how accurately its devices can assess sleep quality and stages.

The complaint alleges that Oura rings cannot actually measure the physiological signals required to determine sleep stages, and instead rely on AI-generated estimates that it claims have roughly a coin flip's chance of being correct. According to the filing, only a hospital or clinical sleep lab—using electrodes on the scalp and sensors near the eyes—can genuinely detect which of the four sleep stages a person is in. Despite this, the lawsuit says Oura marketed its rings, priced at $300 and up, as capable of that same level of insight.

The complaint points to Oura's marketing language describing the rings as "built for accuracy" and offering "unparalleled accuracy." It also alleges Oura told customers its devices could reach 79% measurement accuracy, and more recently claimed 95% sleep-staging accuracy compared with clinical sleep labs. The lawsuit argues these claims are impossible because sleep occurs in the brain, not on a finger.

The filing follows years of user complaints shared online, with some Oura customers reporting the app told them they had optimal sleep despite feeling they had slept poorly, and others questioning the ring's ability to track sleep cycles accurately.

Ryan Clarkson, co-founder and managing partner of Clarkson Law Firm, said in a press release that people rely on such devices to guide health decisions and structure their daily lives, making inaccurate marketing potentially harmful. The lawsuit seeks to stop Oura from continuing to advertise capabilities it allegedly cannot deliver, along with injunctive relief and restitution for affected customers.

Oura had not responded to TechCrunch's request for comment at the time of publication.