Premium account users are demanding $1,000 in compensation from LinkedIn for training AI models on their data

Microsoft-owned social network LinkedIn has been accused of sharing users' private messages with third parties to train generative artificial intelligence models without their permission. According to Reuters, the lawsuit against the social network was filed on behalf of millions of premium account users.

• The lawsuit alleges that in August 2024, the platform secretly implemented a privacy setting that allowed users to turn on or off the sharing of their personal data.
• Then, in September, LinkedIn quietly updated its privacy policy to include a provision that allowed users to opt out of having their data used to train AI models, and stated in its FAQ section that opting out "does not affect training that has already taken place."
• According to the lawsuit, this attempt to "cover its tracks" suggests that LinkedIn was aware of the violation of customers' privacy and its own commitment to use personal data only to improve the platform. According to the plaintiffs, this was done to minimize public criticism and legal consequences.
• The plaintiffs are seeking damages for breach of contract and violation of California's Unfair Competition Law, as well as $1,000 per person for violation of the federal Communications Privacy Act.