Microsoft’s LinkedIn has been sued by senior customers, who say business-focused social media platforms have disclosed their private information to third parties without permission to generate artificial intelligence (AI) models.
LinkedIn quietly introduced a privacy setting last August, which allows users to enable or disable their personal data sharing, according to a proposed class action lawsuit Tuesday night on behalf of millions of LinkedIn Premium customers.
Clients said LinkedIn then carefully updated its Sept. 18 privacy policy to indicate that the data can be used to train AI models and said in the FAQ that the “Hyperlink” selection “does not affect training already underway.”
The complaint says this attempt to “cover its track” shows that LinkedIn is fully aware that it violates customers’ privacy and promises to use only personal data to support and improve its platform to minimize public scrutiny and legal fears.
The lawsuit was filed in San Jose, California by LinkedIn Premium clients who sent or received INMAIL messages and disclosed their private information to third parties by September 18 for AI training.
It sought unspecified losses for breach of contract and breach of California’s unfair competition law, with each person breaching the Federal Storage Communications Act of $1,000 (approximately Rs 86,492).
“These are false claims and have no advantages,” LinkedIn said in a statement.
The plaintiff’s attorney did not immediately comment.
The lawsuit comes within hours of a joint venture between Microsoft-backed OpenAI, Oracle and Softbank, a potential $500 billion (about Rs 43,25,275 crore) announced by U.S. President Donald Trump. Invest to build the AI infrastructure in the United States. .
The case is De la Torre v. LinkedIn Corp, No. 25-00709, U.S. District Court in Northern District of California.
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