LinkedIn's Data Practices Under Fire: User Concerns Over AI Training Without Consent

Concerns have emerged regarding LinkedIn's handling of user data as reports indicate the platform utilized it to train generative AI models without prior consent. The professional networking site, owned by Microsoft, has since revised its terms of service to address these practices. Despite this revision, the site continues to include users in data collection by default, requiring individuals to manually adjust their settings to opt-out. This situation has sparked criticism through a range of social networking sites, where countless individuals expressing their discontent. The updated policy notes that the AI training is intended for features like writing enhancements and content recommendations.

A report from 404 Media revealed LinkedIn's previous practices of data collection prior to the policy update, leading many users to discover new settings regarding the AI data use on the platform. Training AI models with user data, while not uncommon, raises significant concerns, especially in this context. Notably, other tech companies like Meta and Google have acknowledged similar practices; nonetheless, LinkedIn's failure to disclose this information before collecting user data is particularly troubling.

The expectation is that digital platforms provide prior notice about these types of decisions so that users can opt for educated decisions to secure their privacy and opt-out if they wish. The backlash against LinkedIn's approach has prompted many to voice their frustration online. In response, the company has amended its policy to clarify that “LinkedIn or its affiliates train or fine-tune generative AI models used to create content, including resources that can be shared or provided for access on LinkedIn's platform.” It elaborated that the AI training focuses on developing writing support and content suggestion tools.

In earlier communications with TechCrunch, LinkedIn asserted that it employed privacy-enhancing measures aimed at mitigating the collection of personal data for its AI models. These measures reportedly involve redacting or removing identifiable information. Users seeking to prevent LinkedIn from gathering their data can navigate to the setting options and disable relevant features. However, it remains unclear whether the platform will expunge previously collected data from its AI training datasets.