-
LinkedIn automatically opted users into a program using their data for training generative AI models, sparking privacy concerns.
-
Users can opt-out through their account settings, but this only prevents future data usage, not past training.
-
LinkedIn claims to use “privacy-enhancing technologies” to protect user data, but its practices follow similar concerns with Meta’s data scraping.
LinkedIn faces criticism for silently enrolling users in a program that uses their data to train generative AI models. The company updated its privacy policy without explicit notification, raising concerns among users unaware of the change.
LinkedIn’s revised policy states that user data may be used to improve services, develop AI models, and provide personalized experiences. Users can opt-out by navigating to the “Data privacy” tab in their account settings and toggling off “Data for Generative AI Improvement.”
However, opting out only prevents future data usage and does not affect training that has already occurred. LinkedIn claims to use privacy-enhancing technologies to protect user data, but its practices have drawn comparisons to Meta’s admission of scraping publicly available user data since 2007.
Users can also object to data usage for non-generative AI models by filling out a separate form. As AI technology advances, companies like LinkedIn must balance innovation with user privacy. This incident highlights the importance of transparency and explicit consent in data usage.
