Microsoft’s LinkedIn has been sued by Premium customers who said the business-focused social media platform leaked their private messages to third parties without permission to train generative artificial intelligence models.
According to a proposed class action filed Tuesday night on behalf of millions of LinkedIn Premium customers, LinkedIn quietly introduced a privacy setting last August that allows users to enable or disable the sharing of their personal data.
Customers said LinkedIn then discreetly updated its privacy policy in September. 18, 2024, to say that the data could be used to train AI models, and in a “Frequently Asked Questions” hyperlink said that the waiver “does not affect training that has already taken place.”
This effort to “cover its tracks” suggests LinkedIn was “fully aware” it was violating customer privacy and its promise to use personal data only to support and improve its platform, minimize public scrutiny and legal consequences, the complaint states.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in San Jose, California, on behalf of LinkedIn Premium customers who sent or received InMail messages and whose private information was disclosed to third parties for AI training before September. 18.
She seeks unspecified damages for breach of contract and violations of California’s unfair competition law, and $1,000 per person for violations of the Federal Stored Communications Act.
Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.
An attorney for the plaintiffs had no immediate additional comment.
The lawsuit was filed hours after President Donald Trump announced a joint venture between Microsoft-based OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank, with a potential $500 billion investment, to build AI infrastructure in the United States.
The case is De La Torre v. LinkedIn Corp, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 25-00709.
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