A recent lawsuit reveals serious allegations against LinkedIn, the ubiquitous professional networking platform, of utilizing the private messages of its Premium users without consent for AI training.
LinkedIn Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Misuse of Private Messages for AI Training
LinkedIn Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Misuse of Private Messages for AI Training
A US lawsuit claims LinkedIn unlawfully used private messages of Premium users for AI development, leading to privacy concerns.
The suit, filed in a California federal court, accuses LinkedIn of secretly changing privacy settings to facilitate the sharing of personal data with third parties, claiming these measures were enacted under a veil of secrecy. Internal communications suggest LinkedIn had informed users that data sharing for AI purposes would not occur in certain regulatory zones, including the UK and the EEA. Meanwhile, the allegations highlight significant financial implications, seeking damages for violations of federal law and for breaching user contracts.
The social media giant, which boasts over a billion members globally, is speaking out against the allegations, labeling them as unfounded. As LinkedIn continues to enhance its platform with AI-driven features, the outcome of this suit could have long-lasting impacts on user trust and data privacy standards.
LinkedIn's Practices Under Fire: Insights from the Recent Lawsuit Against the Platform
User claims point to troubling practices regarding data handling and privacy agreements.
The article text:
The lawsuit filed on behalf of LinkedIn Premium users accuses the social media platform of sharing their private messages with other companies to train artificial intelligence (AI) models. It alleges that in August last year, the world's largest professional social networking website "quietly" introduced a privacy setting, automatically opting users in to a programme that allowed third parties to use their personal data to train AI. Furthermore, it claims the Microsoft-owned company attempted to conceal its actions a month later by changing its privacy policy to state user information could be disclosed for AI training purposes.
In response, a LinkedIn spokesperson firmly described the claims as "false" and without merit. The complaint emphasizes that LinkedIn altered its frequently asked questions section to include an option for users to refuse sharing data for AI training, albeit typically with the caveat that this would not affect previously conducted training.
The filing expresses that LinkedIn's actions indicate an ongoing pattern of attempting to obscure its real motives. The lawsuit suggests that the company was aware it had violated both its contractual promises and user privacy standards, seeking to minimize public backlash as a consequence.
The suit, brought by a California federal court, seeks $1,000 (£812) per user for the alleged violations of the US federal Stored Communications Act along with additional reparations for breach of contract and California’s unfair competition law. LinkedIn has previously communicated to its user base that it has not enabled data sharing for AI purposes in the UK, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland. Additionally, LinkedIn reported $1.7 billion in revenue from premium subscriptions for 2023, experiencing a surge in premium subscribers as it continues to roll out more AI features.
The outcome of this legal case could pivotally affect LinkedIn’s standing in the competitive space of social media and data privacy as it navigates growing concerns over user data usage.
The social media giant, which boasts over a billion members globally, is speaking out against the allegations, labeling them as unfounded. As LinkedIn continues to enhance its platform with AI-driven features, the outcome of this suit could have long-lasting impacts on user trust and data privacy standards.
LinkedIn's Practices Under Fire: Insights from the Recent Lawsuit Against the Platform
User claims point to troubling practices regarding data handling and privacy agreements.
The article text:
The lawsuit filed on behalf of LinkedIn Premium users accuses the social media platform of sharing their private messages with other companies to train artificial intelligence (AI) models. It alleges that in August last year, the world's largest professional social networking website "quietly" introduced a privacy setting, automatically opting users in to a programme that allowed third parties to use their personal data to train AI. Furthermore, it claims the Microsoft-owned company attempted to conceal its actions a month later by changing its privacy policy to state user information could be disclosed for AI training purposes.
In response, a LinkedIn spokesperson firmly described the claims as "false" and without merit. The complaint emphasizes that LinkedIn altered its frequently asked questions section to include an option for users to refuse sharing data for AI training, albeit typically with the caveat that this would not affect previously conducted training.
The filing expresses that LinkedIn's actions indicate an ongoing pattern of attempting to obscure its real motives. The lawsuit suggests that the company was aware it had violated both its contractual promises and user privacy standards, seeking to minimize public backlash as a consequence.
The suit, brought by a California federal court, seeks $1,000 (£812) per user for the alleged violations of the US federal Stored Communications Act along with additional reparations for breach of contract and California’s unfair competition law. LinkedIn has previously communicated to its user base that it has not enabled data sharing for AI purposes in the UK, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland. Additionally, LinkedIn reported $1.7 billion in revenue from premium subscriptions for 2023, experiencing a surge in premium subscribers as it continues to roll out more AI features.
The outcome of this legal case could pivotally affect LinkedIn’s standing in the competitive space of social media and data privacy as it navigates growing concerns over user data usage.
