LinkedIn: Difference between revisions

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~~{{StubNotice}}~~

{{CompanyCargo

|Description=Professional networking platform owned by Microsoft.

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[[wikipedia:LinkedIn|'''LinkedIn''']] is a social-media platform for professional networking, founded in 2002.

==~~Summary~~==

==Consumer-impact summary==

*It has been known for its [[dark patterns]].

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As of 29 January 2025, LinkedIn FAQ mentions that it does <i>"not currently train content-generating AI models on data from members located in Canada, the EU, EEA, UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong, or Mainland China."</i><ref name="linkedin-faq" />

As of 19 September 2025, LinkedIn banner announcement was sent to logged in users saying ''"Update to our terms and data use"'' ''"Starting November 3, 2025, we'll use some of your Linkedln data to improve the content-generating Al that enhances your experience, unless you opt out in your [https://www.linkedin.com/mypreferences/d/settings/data-for-ai-improvement/ settings]. We're also updating our terms. See what's new and how to manage your data. [https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228/ Learn more] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251122030430/https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228 Archived])"''. Specifically mentioned regions are Canada, the EU, EEA, UK, Switzerland and Hong Kong. Announcement described how previously excluded regions would now be included in the "Data for Generative AI Improvement".[[File:LinkedIn - Update to our Terms and data use 2025.png|thumb|411x411px|Screenshot of [https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228/ Terms of service update] at 19th Sep 2025]]

As of 19 September 2025, LinkedIn banner announcement was sent to logged in users saying ''"Update to our terms and data use"'' ''"Starting November 3, 2025, we'll use some of your Linkedln data to improve the content-generating AI that enhances your experience, unless you opt out in your [https://www.linkedin.com/mypreferences/d/settings/data-for-ai-improvement/ settings]. We're also updating our terms. See what's new and how to manage your data. [https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228/ Learn more] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251122030430/https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228 Archived])"''. Specifically mentioned regions are Canada, the EU, EEA, UK, Switzerland and Hong Kong. Announcement described how previously excluded regions would now be included in the "Data for Generative AI Improvement".[[File:LinkedIn - Update to our Terms and data use 2025.png|thumb|411x411px|Screenshot of [https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228/ Terms of service update] at 19th Sep 2025]]

===Account Verification===

Verifying a LinkedIn account (i.e. acquiring a blue checkmark) requires sending a full copy of the user's passport to a third party service provider, Persona. Biometric data of several kinds such as typing patterns are also collected by Persona. The company then retains the right to store the information, share it with third party data brokers and train AI on the passport and the passport photo. <ref>{{Cite web |first= |date=2026-02-16 |title=I Verified My LinkedIn Identity. Here's What I Actually Handed Over. |url=https://thelocalstack.eu/posts/linkedin-identity-verification-privacy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260405141228/https://thelocalstack.eu/posts/linkedin-identity-verification-privacy/ |archive-date=5 Apr 2026 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=TheLocalStack}}</ref>

Verifying a LinkedIn account (i.e. acquiring a blue checkmark) requires sending a full copy of the user's passport to a third party service provider, [[Persona]]. Biometric data of several kinds such as typing patterns are also collected by Persona. The company then retains the right to store the information, share it with third party data brokers and train AI on the passport and the passport photo. <ref>{{Cite web |first= |date=2026-02-16 |title=I Verified My LinkedIn Identity. Here's What I Actually Handed Over. |url=https://thelocalstack.eu/posts/linkedin-identity-verification-privacy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260405141228/https://thelocalstack.eu/posts/linkedin-identity-verification-privacy/ |archive-date=5 Apr 2026 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=TheLocalStack}}</ref>

For users outside the United States, this also means that their personal and biometric data is sent to US servers, where they are accessible to US authorities.

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#Some users reported that using the phone app to close your account worked, even if you created yours through the browser version.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 May 2024 |title=Impossible to close Linkedin account |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/linkedin/comments/1d0a4ah/impossible_to_close_linkedin_account/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260220223136/https://old.reddit.com/r/linkedin/comments/1d0a4ah/impossible_to_close_linkedin_account/ |archive-date=20 Feb 2026 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>

==Browser scanning and personal data mining==

==Incidents==

Fairlinked e.V. have discovered data mining operation from within your browser when visiting LinkedIn. [https://browsergate.eu/ BrowserGate] exposes Microsoft's LinkedIn for allegedly conducting a massive, undisclosed spying operation by injecting malicious JavaScript into users' browsers to secretly scan and detect over 6,222 installed browser extensions without consent, in violation of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA). It reveals how LinkedIn builds detailed individual and organizational profiles based on extensions indicating sensitive information such as political opinions, religious beliefs, disabilities, neurodivergence, job-seeking status, and even mapping which organizations use which competitor products, then aggregates this data while matching it to users' names, employers, and job titles.{{~~Citation needed~~|date=2 Apr 2026}}

===Browser scanning and personal data mining (''2026'')===

Fairlinked e.V. have discovered data mining operation from within your browser when visiting LinkedIn. [https://browsergate.eu/ BrowserGate] exposes Microsoft's LinkedIn for allegedly conducting a massive, undisclosed spying operation by injecting malicious [[JavaScript]] into users' browsers to secretly scan and detect over 6,222 installed browser extensions without consent, in violation of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA). It reveals how LinkedIn builds detailed individual and organizational profiles based on extensions indicating sensitive information such as political opinions, religious beliefs, disabilities, neurodivergence, job-seeking status, and even mapping which organizations use which competitor products, then aggregates this data while matching it to users' names, employers, and job titles.<ref>{{Cite web |author=digital fairness e.V. |title=LinkedIn Is Illegally Searching Your Computer |url=https://browsergate.eu/ |website=Browsergate.eu |date=6 Mar 2026 |access-date=13 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/FlBoq |archive-date=2 Apr 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fadilpašić |first=Sead |title=One of the largest corporate espionage and data breach scandals in digital history': New "BrowserGate" report claims LinkedIn secretly scans user browsers for installed extensions and collects device data |url=https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/one-of-the-largest-corporate-espionage-and-data-breach-scandals-in-digital-history-new-browsergate-report-claims-linkedin-secretly-scans-user-browsers-for-installed-extensions-and-collects-device-data |website=Techradar |date=6 Apr 2026 |access-date=13 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260406163425/https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/one-of-the-largest-corporate-espionage-and-data-breach-scandals-in-digital-history-new-browsergate-report-claims-linkedin-secretly-scans-user-browsers-for-installed-extensions-and-collects-device-data |archive-date=6 Apr 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Lawrence |title=LinkedIn secretly scans for 6,000+ Chrome extensions, collects data |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/linkedin-secretly-scans-for-6-000-plus-chrome-extensions-collects-data/ |website=Bleeping Computer |date=3 Apr 2026 |access-date=13 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260405000141/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/linkedin-secretly-scans-for-6-000-plus-chrome-extensions-collects-data/ |archive-date=5 Apr 2026}}</ref>

==References==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{StubNotice}}
 {{CompanyCargo
 |Description=Professional networking platform owned by Microsoft.
@@ Line 11: / Line 10: @@
 [[wikipedia:LinkedIn|'''LinkedIn''']] is a social-media platform for professional networking, founded in 2002.
-==Summary==
+==Consumer-impact summary==
 *It has been known for its [[dark patterns]].
@@ Line 32: / Line 31: @@
 As of 29 January 2025, LinkedIn FAQ mentions that it does <i>"not currently train content-generating AI models on data from members located in Canada, the EU, EEA, UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong, or Mainland China."</i><ref name="linkedin-faq" />
-As of 19 September 2025, LinkedIn banner announcement was sent to logged in users saying ''"Update to our terms and data use"'' ''"Starting November 3, 2025, we'll use some of your Linkedln data to improve the content-generating Al that enhances your experience, unless you opt out in your [https://www.linkedin.com/mypreferences/d/settings/data-for-ai-improvement/ settings]. We're also updating our terms. See what's new and how to manage your data. [https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228/ Learn more] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251122030430/https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228 Archived])"''. Specifically mentioned regions are Canada, the EU, EEA, UK, Switzerland and Hong Kong. Announcement described how previously excluded regions would now be included in the "Data for Generative AI Improvement".[[File:LinkedIn - Update to our Terms and data use 2025.png|thumb|411x411px|Screenshot of [https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228/ Terms of service update] at 19th Sep 2025]]<!-- [Image] I don't know how to style the image so I tried to lower the size. Moving it to the right makes it overflow onto the Account Deletion which I don't think makes the page flow fell (in my opinion only) -->
+As of 19 September 2025, LinkedIn banner announcement was sent to logged in users saying ''"Update to our terms and data use"'' ''"Starting November 3, 2025, we'll use some of your Linkedln data to improve the content-generating AI that enhances your experience, unless you opt out in your [https://www.linkedin.com/mypreferences/d/settings/data-for-ai-improvement/ settings]. We're also updating our terms. See what's new and how to manage your data. [https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228/ Learn more] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251122030430/https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228 Archived])"''. Specifically mentioned regions are Canada, the EU, EEA, UK, Switzerland and Hong Kong. Announcement described how previously excluded regions would now be included in the "Data for Generative AI Improvement".[[File:LinkedIn - Update to our Terms and data use 2025.png|thumb|411x411px|Screenshot of [https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a8059228/ Terms of service update] at 19th Sep 2025]]<!-- [Image] I don't know how to style the image so I tried to lower the size. Moving it to the right makes it overflow onto the Account Deletion which I don't think makes the page flow fell (in my opinion only) -->
 ===Account Verification===
-Verifying a LinkedIn account (i.e. acquiring a blue checkmark) requires sending a full copy of the user's passport to a third party service provider, Persona. Biometric data of several kinds such as typing patterns are also collected by Persona. The company then retains the right to store the information, share it with third party data brokers and train AI on the passport and the passport photo. <ref>{{Cite web |first= |date=2026-02-16 |title=I Verified My LinkedIn Identity. Here's What I Actually Handed Over. |url=https://thelocalstack.eu/posts/linkedin-identity-verification-privacy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260405141228/https://thelocalstack.eu/posts/linkedin-identity-verification-privacy/ |archive-date=5 Apr 2026 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=TheLocalStack}}</ref>
+Verifying a LinkedIn account (i.e. acquiring a blue checkmark) requires sending a full copy of the user's passport to a third party service provider, [[Persona]]. Biometric data of several kinds such as typing patterns are also collected by Persona. The company then retains the right to store the information, share it with third party data brokers and train AI on the passport and the passport photo. <ref>{{Cite web |first= |date=2026-02-16 |title=I Verified My LinkedIn Identity. Here's What I Actually Handed Over. |url=https://thelocalstack.eu/posts/linkedin-identity-verification-privacy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260405141228/https://thelocalstack.eu/posts/linkedin-identity-verification-privacy/ |archive-date=5 Apr 2026 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=TheLocalStack}}</ref>
 For users outside the United States, this also means that their personal and biometric data is sent to US servers, where they are accessible to US authorities.
@@ Line 48: / Line 47: @@
 #Some users reported that using the phone app to close your account worked, even if you created yours through the browser version.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 May 2024 |title=Impossible to close Linkedin account |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/linkedin/comments/1d0a4ah/impossible_to_close_linkedin_account/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260220223136/https://old.reddit.com/r/linkedin/comments/1d0a4ah/impossible_to_close_linkedin_account/ |archive-date=20 Feb 2026 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>
-==Browser scanning and personal data mining==
+==Incidents==
-Fairlinked e.V. have discovered data mining operation from within your browser when visiting LinkedIn. [https://browsergate.eu/ BrowserGate] exposes Microsoft's LinkedIn for allegedly conducting a massive, undisclosed spying operation by injecting malicious JavaScript into users' browsers to secretly scan and detect over 6,222 installed browser extensions without consent, in violation of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA). It reveals how LinkedIn builds detailed individual and organizational profiles based on extensions indicating sensitive information such as political opinions, religious beliefs, disabilities, neurodivergence, job-seeking status, and even mapping which organizations use which competitor products, then aggregates this data while matching it to users' names, employers, and job titles.{{Citation needed|date=2 Apr 2026}}
+===Browser scanning and personal data mining (''2026'')===
+Fairlinked e.V. have discovered data mining operation from within your browser when visiting LinkedIn. [https://browsergate.eu/ BrowserGate] exposes Microsoft's LinkedIn for allegedly conducting a massive, undisclosed spying operation by injecting malicious [[JavaScript]] into users' browsers to secretly scan and detect over 6,222 installed browser extensions without consent, in violation of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA). It reveals how LinkedIn builds detailed individual and organizational profiles based on extensions indicating sensitive information such as political opinions, religious beliefs, disabilities, neurodivergence, job-seeking status, and even mapping which organizations use which competitor products, then aggregates this data while matching it to users' names, employers, and job titles.<ref>{{Cite web |author=digital fairness e.V. |title=LinkedIn Is Illegally Searching Your Computer |url=https://browsergate.eu/ |website=Browsergate.eu |date=6 Mar 2026 |access-date=13 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/FlBoq |archive-date=2 Apr 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fadilpašić |first=Sead |title=One of the largest corporate espionage and data breach scandals in digital history': New "BrowserGate" report claims LinkedIn secretly scans user browsers for installed extensions and collects device data |url=https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/one-of-the-largest-corporate-espionage-and-data-breach-scandals-in-digital-history-new-browsergate-report-claims-linkedin-secretly-scans-user-browsers-for-installed-extensions-and-collects-device-data |website=Techradar |date=6 Apr 2026 |access-date=13 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260406163425/https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/one-of-the-largest-corporate-espionage-and-data-breach-scandals-in-digital-history-new-browsergate-report-claims-linkedin-secretly-scans-user-browsers-for-installed-extensions-and-collects-device-data |archive-date=6 Apr 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Lawrence |title=LinkedIn secretly scans for 6,000+ Chrome extensions, collects data |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/linkedin-secretly-scans-for-6-000-plus-chrome-extensions-collects-data/ |website=Bleeping Computer |date=3 Apr 2026 |access-date=13 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260405000141/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/linkedin-secretly-scans-for-6-000-plus-chrome-extensions-collects-data/ |archive-date=5 Apr 2026}}</ref>
 ==References==