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| LinkedIn sharing user data without consent | Photo: Reuters |
LinkedIn, the professional networking platform widely used for job hunting and professional connections, is facing a lawsuit over allegations of misusing user data.
A group of users has filed a lawsuit in a federal court in California, accusing LinkedIn of secretly sharing their personal information with third parties and using it to train artificial intelligence (AI) models, violating their privacy.
The lawsuit claims that LinkedIn sent private information, including email messages from premium users, to external organizations without user consent. Concerns intensified after LinkedIn updated its privacy policy on September 18, raising questions about the security and privacy of user data.
According to the complaint, LinkedIn’s actions constitute a breach of contract, a violation of California’s unfair competition law, and a violation of the US federal Stored Communications Act. The plaintiffs are seeking $1,000 in damages for each user whose personal information was exposed.
LinkedIn, however, has denied the allegations. In a statement, the company called the claims “completely false and baseless.”
Last September, LinkedIn acknowledged that it was using user data, including posts, to train its AI models. The company explained that it relied on default settings for this purpose and emphasized that users had the option to adjust their privacy settings to restrict data usage.
The case has sparked broader concerns about data privacy and transparency on social media platforms. As the lawsuit unfolds, it could set a precedent for how companies handle user data and the extent to which they must disclose its use.