By Key Points
- LinkedIn uses user data for AI model training without direct consent.
- You must opt-out twice to stop LinkedIn from using your data.
- Data already used for training AI models cannot be undone.
- LinkedIn’s privacy changes exclude users in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland.
LinkedIn AI data training has automatically included your data, and you might not even know it. LinkedIn, without asking for explicit consent, has opted most users into this data usage to train AI models, sparking significant privacy concerns.
Recently, LinkedIn rolled out a policy update stating it can use your personal data to improve services, which includes training generative AI models. This change is primarily for enhancing AI-driven features like writing assistants, but users were not informed.
If you’re worried about LinkedIn AI data training and how your information is being used, there are steps you can take to opt out of future data usage—but the process is more complicated than you might expect.
LinkedIn is now using everyone’s content to train their AI tool — they just auto opted everyone in.
I recommend opting out now (AND that orgs put an end to auto opt-in, it’s not cool)
Opt out steps: Settings and Privacy > Data Privacy > Data for Generative AI Improvement (OFF) pic.twitter.com/UsS61gHw4C— Rachel Tobac (@RachelTobac) September 18, 2024
How to Stop LinkedIn from Using Your Data for AI Training
To stop LinkedIn from using your data for AI training, you must opt out of two different settings. First, head to your account’s Data Privacy settings and look for the “Data for Generative AI Improvement” toggle. Turning this off will stop LinkedIn from using your data for future AI training.
However, this only affects data used specifically for LinkedIn AI data training related to generative AI models. LinkedIn uses your data for other purposes as well, such as improving personalization algorithms and moderation tools, which don’t generate content but still rely on user data.
To fully stop LinkedIn from using your data for these machine learning processes, you need to complete the LinkedIn Data Processing Objection Form, an additional step not widely known by most users.
It’s important to note that opting out only prevents LinkedIn from using your data in the future. According to the platform, any data already used for AI model training cannot be undone, meaning your past interactions and data have likely already contributed to these models.
LinkedIn’s AI Data Training Raises Privacy Concerns
LinkedIn’s new privacy policy, which allows LinkedIn AI data training to operate largely unnoticed by most users, has raised significant privacy concerns.
While LinkedIn claims to use “privacy-enhancing technologies” to protect personal data by redacting or removing sensitive information from its training sets, the lack of transparency has left many feeling uneasy.
One important detail to note: LinkedIn AI data training does not apply to users located in the EU, EEA, or Switzerland.
Thanks to stricter privacy regulations, LinkedIn is unable to use data from users in these regions, a move that reflects the growing divide between regions with robust data privacy laws and those without.
For users outside these regions, the automatic opt-in feels more invasive, especially given the lack of notification or clear instructions on how to opt out.
LinkedIn’s quiet introduction of these privacy changes is reminiscent of recent revelations from Meta, which admitted to scraping public user data for AI model training going back as far as 2007.
These developments highlight a growing trend in which tech giants harvest vast amounts of user data to power AI innovations, often without obtaining clear consent from users.
Final Steps: How to Protect Your LinkedIn Data
If you’re concerned about your privacy and how LinkedIn is using your data, taking action now is crucial. Opting out of LinkedIn AI data training is possible, but as outlined above, you’ll need to take two distinct steps.
First, turn off the generative AI data setting in your privacy settings. Second, fill out the LinkedIn Data Processing Objection Form to ensure your data is not being used for any type of AI training going forward.
While these steps won’t undo any past data usage, they will give you more control over how your personal information is used in the future.
With tech companies increasingly relying on user data for AI data training, it’s essential to stay informed and take action to protect your privacy.
