California, USA – LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking platform, is facing a lawsuit accusing the company of improperly sharing users’ private messages and personal data with third parties to train artificial intelligence (AI) models.
The class-action lawsuit, filed in a California federal court, alleges that LinkedIn “quietly” introduced a privacy setting in August 2023 that automatically enrolled users into a program allowing their data to be used for AI training. The filing claims the Microsoft-owned platform later altered its privacy policy to disclose this practice, which critics say amounts to concealing its actions.
According to the lawsuit, LinkedIn’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section was also updated to clarify that while users could opt out of data sharing for AI purposes, such choices would not affect data already used for training.
The lawsuit states: “LinkedIn’s actions… indicate a pattern of attempting to cover its tracks. This behaviour suggests that LinkedIn was fully aware that it had violated its contractual promises and privacy standards and aimed to minimise public scrutiny.”
LinkedIn Denies Allegations
A LinkedIn spokesperson told the BBC, “These are false claims with no merit,” asserting that the allegations misrepresent the company’s practices.
The lawsuit seeks $1,000 per user for alleged violations of the US federal Stored Communications Act, along with additional damages for breach of contract and California’s unfair competition law.
Privacy Concerns Raised
The filing accuses LinkedIn of enabling third-party access to sensitive user data without proper consent. Premium subscribers—who pay for advanced features on the platform—are at the center of the case, which could potentially affect millions of users.
According to LinkedIn’s email communications with users, the platform has not enabled user data sharing for AI training in the UK, European Economic Area, or Switzerland.
Growing Subscriber Base
LinkedIn boasts more than one billion users globally, with nearly a quarter based in the United States. The platform generated $1.7 billion in revenue from premium subscriptions in 2023, with its premium user base reportedly growing rapidly as it integrates more AI-driven features.
Potential Implications
The lawsuit underscores growing concerns about the use of personal data in AI development, particularly by major tech companies. While LinkedIn denies the allegations, the case adds to the broader debate over privacy and transparency in AI practices.
The outcome of the lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for LinkedIn and its parent company, Microsoft, as well as for other platforms leveraging user data to train AI models.
