Lawsuit Alleges LinkedIn Shared User Data for AI Training Without Consent
A federal lawsuit filed in California accuses LinkedIn of sharing private messages from Premium users with third parties to train artificial intelligence (AI) models.
The complaint claims LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional social networking platform, secretly introduced a privacy setting in August 2022 that automatically opted users into a program allowing their data to be used for AI training.
The Microsoft-owned company is also accused of updating its privacy policy a month later to state that user information could be disclosed for AI purposes, allegedly concealing its earlier actions.
“LinkedIn’s actions… indicate a pattern of attempting to cover its tracks,” the lawsuit alleges. “This behaviour suggests that LinkedIn was fully aware it had violated its contractual promises and privacy standards and aimed to minimise public scrutiny.”
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of a LinkedIn Premium user and others in similar circumstances, seeks $1,000 per user for alleged violations of the US federal Stored Communications Act, along with damages for breach of contract and California’s unfair competition law.
A LinkedIn spokesperson has denied the claims, saying, “These are false claims with no merit.”
The filing also alleges that LinkedIn amended its FAQ section to inform users they could opt out of sharing data for AI purposes. However, it claims LinkedIn added that the opt-out would not reverse training already completed using their data.
According to an email LinkedIn sent to users in 2022, the platform clarified that it had not enabled data sharing for AI purposes in the UK, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland.
With over one billion users globally—almost a quarter of whom are in the US—LinkedIn reported $1.7 billion in revenue from premium subscriptions in 2023. The platform has also seen rapid growth in premium subscribers as it integrates more AI-driven features.
The lawsuit raises concerns about transparency in data usage, especially as tech companies increasingly use personal data to develop AI technologies.
