The lawsuit, filed in California, alleges that LinkedIn has engaged in deceptive practices regarding user data and privacy permissions, sparking a significant controversy over data protection measures.
LinkedIn Faces Lawsuit Over Allegations of Improper AI Data Usage
LinkedIn Faces Lawsuit Over Allegations of Improper AI Data Usage
A class-action lawsuit accuses LinkedIn of secretly using private messages for AI training without user consent.
As the suit unfolds, LinkedIn users are scrutinizing the platform's data sharing policies, with potential implications for privacy rights and AI development practices.
A lawsuit has been filed in the United States accusing LinkedIn, the leading professional networking site, of improperly sharing the private messages of its users to aid in training artificial intelligence (AI) models. The legal action, representing LinkedIn Premium users, claims that the company introduced a privacy setting in August of the previous year that automatically enrolled users into a program that allowed their personal data to be utilized by third parties for AI training.
Further complicating the situation, the lawsuit alleges that LinkedIn, owned by Microsoft, attempted to cover up its actions by amending its privacy policy the following month to explicitly state that user data could be shared for AI training purposes. A spokesperson for LinkedIn called the accusations "false claims with no merit."
The legal filing states that LinkedIn modified its 'frequently asked questions' section to suggest that users had the option to opt-out from sharing their data for AI purposes, although opting out would not retroactively affect data already shared. In the lawsuit, it is noted, "LinkedIn's actions... indicate a pattern of attempting to cover its tracks," suggesting the company recognized it was violating privacy standards and contractual obligations to minimize public scrutiny.
The class action lawsuit was brought on behalf of a LinkedIn Premium user along with "all others" in a similar predicament, seeking $1,000 per user for alleged infringements of the US federal Stored Communications Act, in addition to unspecified damages for breach of contract and violations of California's unfair competition law.
In communications to its users last year, LinkedIn clarified that it does not permit data sharing for AI purposes for users in the UK, European Economic Area, or Switzerland. Despite the controversy, LinkedIn has boasted over a billion global users, nearly a quarter of whom are in the US, and reported $1.7 billion in premium subscription revenue in 2023, highlighting a rapid increase in premium subscribers as the platform continues to integrate AI features.
A lawsuit has been filed in the United States accusing LinkedIn, the leading professional networking site, of improperly sharing the private messages of its users to aid in training artificial intelligence (AI) models. The legal action, representing LinkedIn Premium users, claims that the company introduced a privacy setting in August of the previous year that automatically enrolled users into a program that allowed their personal data to be utilized by third parties for AI training.
Further complicating the situation, the lawsuit alleges that LinkedIn, owned by Microsoft, attempted to cover up its actions by amending its privacy policy the following month to explicitly state that user data could be shared for AI training purposes. A spokesperson for LinkedIn called the accusations "false claims with no merit."
The legal filing states that LinkedIn modified its 'frequently asked questions' section to suggest that users had the option to opt-out from sharing their data for AI purposes, although opting out would not retroactively affect data already shared. In the lawsuit, it is noted, "LinkedIn's actions... indicate a pattern of attempting to cover its tracks," suggesting the company recognized it was violating privacy standards and contractual obligations to minimize public scrutiny.
The class action lawsuit was brought on behalf of a LinkedIn Premium user along with "all others" in a similar predicament, seeking $1,000 per user for alleged infringements of the US federal Stored Communications Act, in addition to unspecified damages for breach of contract and violations of California's unfair competition law.
In communications to its users last year, LinkedIn clarified that it does not permit data sharing for AI purposes for users in the UK, European Economic Area, or Switzerland. Despite the controversy, LinkedIn has boasted over a billion global users, nearly a quarter of whom are in the US, and reported $1.7 billion in premium subscription revenue in 2023, highlighting a rapid increase in premium subscribers as the platform continues to integrate AI features.
