LinkedIn scraped user data for training before updating its terms of service

LinkedIn has been found to have trained AI models using user data without prior updates to its terms of service, particularly affecting users in the U.S. but not in the EU, EEA, or Switzerland due to stricter data privacy regulations. Although LinkedIn has since updated its privacy policy to include an opt-out option for users, this change came after the data scraping had already begun. The company claims that the data collected is used to enhance its services, including content creation AI models. Users can opt out of their data being used for AI training through the settings menu, but this will not affect any data already used. The Open Rights Group has called for an investigation into LinkedIn's practices, arguing that the opt-out model is insufficient for protecting user rights. Ireland's Data Protection Commission has been informed of LinkedIn's policy updates, which currently do not apply to EU/EEA members. The growing demand for data to train generative AI models has led many platforms to repurpose user-generated content, often without clear consent processes.

- LinkedIn trained AI models on user data without prior consent updates.

- Users in the U.S. can opt out, but this option is not available for EU/EEA users.

- The Open Rights Group is calling for investigations into LinkedIn's data practices.

- LinkedIn's updated privacy policy now includes an opt-out setting for data use.

- The trend of using user data for AI training is increasing across various platforms.