A lawsuit has been filed in California federal court alleging that LinkedIn, the world's largest professional networking platform, has been sharing users' private messages with third parties to train artificial intelligence (AI) models. Filed on behalf of LinkedIn Premium users, the suit claims the company introduced a controversial privacy setting in August 2022. This setting allegedly opted users into a program that enabled the use of their personal data—without explicit consent—for AI training.
According to the lawsuit, LinkedIn attempted to obscure its actions by altering its privacy policy a month later, retroactively stating that user data could be shared for AI purposes. "LinkedIn's actions... indicate a pattern of attempting to cover its tracks," the lawsuit states, emphasizing that this behavior reveals the company was aware it was violating its contractual obligations and privacy standards.
The accusations are strongly denied by LinkedIn, with a spokesperson asserting these claims as baseless. The company's statement to BBC News dismissed the lawsuit's validity, insisting that user data had not been shared for AI training in the UK, European Economic Area, and Switzerland.
The lawsuit seeks damages of $1,000 per affected user under the US federal Stored Communications Act, as well as compensation for breach of contract and violations of California's unfair competition law. With over one billion users globally, including nearly 250 million in the US, LinkedIn reports significant revenue growth from premium subscriptions, amounting to $1.7 billion in 2023. As the platform continues to incorporate more AI features, the recent lawsuit raises critical questions regarding user consent and data privacy in an age increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence.
