Privacy Breach Allegations Rock LinkedIn
Millions of Premium Users Affected
A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed against Microsoft’s LinkedIn, accusing the professional social media platform of secretly sharing private messages with third-party companies to train artificial intelligence models without users’ consent. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of millions of LinkedIn Premium customers, alleges that the company quietly introduced a new privacy setting last August, allowing users to opt-out of data sharing, but then updated its policy in September to reveal that user data could be used for AI training.
A Trail of Deception?
The complaint suggests that LinkedIn was aware of its privacy violations and attempted to cover its tracks by updating its policy and FAQ section. The company’s promise to use personal data solely to support and improve its platform appears to be a thinly veiled attempt to avoid public scrutiny and legal repercussions.
Damages Sought
The lawsuit, filed in the San Jose, California federal court, seeks unspecified damages for breach of contract and violations of California’s unfair competition law. Additionally, it seeks $1,000 per person for violations of the federal Stored Communications Act. The lawsuit only applies to LinkedIn Premium customers who sent or received InMail messages and had their private information disclosed to third parties for AI training before September 18.
Timing Raises Eyebrows
The lawsuit was filed just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a joint venture between Microsoft-based OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank to build AI infrastructure in the United States, with a potential investment of $500 billion. Microsoft has yet to respond to requests for comment, while a lawyer for the plaintiffs declined to provide additional information.
Case Details
The case is De La Torre v LinkedIn Corp, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 25-00709. As the legal battle unfolds, one thing is clear: the privacy of millions of LinkedIn users hangs in the balance.
Leave a Reply