On January 22, Microsoft's LinkedIn was sued by Premium customers who alleged that the business-oriented social media platform disclosed their private messages to third parties without consent for training generative artificial intelligence models.
According to a proposed class action filed on Tuesday night on behalf of millions of LinkedIn Premium customers, in August, LinkedIn quietly introduced a privacy setting allowing users to control the sharing of their personal data.
Customers claimed that LinkedIn then discreetly updated its privacy policy on September 18, 2024, stating that data could be utilized to train AI models, and in a hyperlink under "Frequently Asked Questions" mentioned; opting out "does not affect training that has already taken place."
The complaint stated that this attempt to "cover its tracks" implies that LinkedIn was "fully aware" it had infringed on customers' privacy, going against its pledge to utilize personal data solely to enhance its platform, possibly to avoid public scrutiny and legal repercussions.
The lawsuit, filed in the San Jose, California, federal court on behalf of LinkedIn Premium customers who sent or received InMail messages, and whose private information was disclosed to third parties for AI training pre-September 18, seeks unspecified damages for breach of contract and violations of California's unfair competition law, as well as $1,000 per person for violations of the federal Stored Communications Act.
Microsoft did not immediately respond on Wednesday to requests for comment. The plaintiffs' lawyer also had no immediate additional comment.
The lawsuit was lodged several hours following an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding a joint venture among Microsoft-based OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, aiming to invest potentially $500 billion into building 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.