❌ Warning: LinkedIn is Using Your Data to Train AI Without Explicit Consent
I’ve been raising concerns about data privacy on LinkedIn for a while, and now it's time to sound the alarm again. ⏰
Without any notice, LinkedIn has quietly changed its privacy settings to allow your personal data to be used to train its AI models. That's right – everything you write, post, and engage with on LinkedIn could be feeding into their AI system without your explicit consent.
LinkedIn’s updated privacy policy has made this the default setting, meaning most of us are opted in automatically. So, unless you manually opt out, LinkedIn could leverage your content to enhance its AI tools like writing assistants and recommendation engines.
This is not just about a few tweaks to improve your feed. The data you’ve carefully curated on LinkedIn – posts, articles, and even your interactions – might now be shaping AI models for a company that is, let’s not forget, owned by Microsoft with a direct stake in the AI boom.
🛑 Here’s why this matters:
❌ No clear notification: Most users have no idea this change has occurred. You’ve likely been opted in by default.
❌ Your personal data at risk: LinkedIn says they use “privacy-enhancing technologies,” but once your data has been used, you can’t reverse it.
❌ Global concern: While users in the EU and Switzerland "may" be protected from this by data laws, everyone else is left vulnerable.
I’m frankly disappointed in how LinkedIn has handled this. This feels like a breach of trust. If you’re uncomfortable with the idea of your data being used in this way, here’s how you can take control:
🔧 How to Opt Out of LinkedIn’s AI Data Grab:
1️⃣ Go to your LinkedIn Account Settings.
2️⃣ Select the Data Privacy tab.
3️⃣ Find the option for Data for Generative AI Improvement.
4️⃣ Toggle it OFF to stop LinkedIn from using your data for future AI model training.
It’s worth noting that turning off this setting will only prevent future data from being used; it does nothing for what’s already been fed into their system, just sayin'.
My data is valuable. Your data is valuable. LinkedIn and companies like Microsoft are fully aware of this. So let’s make sure we stay informed and ensure that our data is used on our terms, not theirs.
📌 Today, check your settings, share this information with your network, and protect your personal data.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need help finding the setting.
Let’s hold LinkedIn accountable for transparency, at the very least.
Nigel Cliffe