Sci & Tech
LinkedIn Accused Of Using sing Private Messages To Train rain AI
A US lawsuit filed on behalf of LinkedIn Premium users accuses the social media platform of sharing their private messages with other companies to train artificial intelligence (AI) models.
It alleges that in August last year, the world’s largest professional social networking website “quietly” introduced a privacy setting, automatically opting users into a programme that allowed third parties to use their personal data to train AI.
It also accuses the Microsoft-owned company of concealing its actions a month later by changing its privacy policy to say user information could be disclosed for AI training purposes.
A LinkedIn spokesperson told BBC News that “these are false claims with no merit”.
The filing also said LinkedIn changed its ‘frequently asked questions’ section to say that users could choose not to share data for AI purposes but that doing so would not affect training that had already taken place.
“LinkedIn’s actions… indicate a pattern of attempting to cover its tracks,” the lawsuit said.
“This behaviour suggests that LinkedIn was fully aware that it had violated its contractual promises and privacy standards and aimed to minimise public scrutiny”.
The lawsuit was filed in a California federal court on behalf of a LinkedIn Premium user and “all others” in a similar situation.
It seeks $1,000 (£812) per user for alleged violations of the US federal Stored Communications Act as well as an unspecified amount for breach of contract and California’s unfair competition law.
According to an email LinkedIn sent to its users last year, it has not enabled user data sharing for AI purposes in the UK, the European Economic Area and Switzerland.
LinkedIn has more than one billion users around the world, with almost a quarter of them in the US.
In 2023, the company attracted $1.7bn in revenue from premium subscriptions.
It has also said that the number of premium subscribers has been growing rapidly as it continues to add more AI features.
(BBC)
Kenya Insights allows guest blogging, if you want to be published on Kenya’s most authoritative and accurate blog, have an expose, news TIPS, story angles, human interest stories, drop us an email on [email protected] or via Telegram
SH2 BILLION HEIST EXPOSED: How Tatu City’s Foreign Masters Used Dirty Offshore Traps, London Arbitration & Mauritius Liquidation to Strip Local Investors of Their Stake
Dimba Accused of Extorting Bank Executives in Escalating Feud
Humiliated, Handed Sh1,000 and Sent Away: Furious Residents Return Nathif Jama’s Money, Accuse Governor of Arrogance and Inhumane Treatment of Sick Woman
ICC’s Karim Khan Suspended Over Sexual Misconduct Claims
The Conquest of Tatu City, A New Zealander Story
VANISHING ACT: How China Jiangxi International Pocketed Billions in Kenyan Public Contracts, Then Walked Away
THE GROUP CHAT THAT BROKE THE CARTEL: How Kenya’s Biggest Mattress Firms Used WhatsApp to Fix Your Prices, Then Used It to Destroy Themselves
Court Upholds Gachagua Impeachment, Awards Him Sh50M In Constitutional Damages To Be Paid By Senate
Somali FIFA Referee Denied Entry To US Ahead Of 2026 World Cup: Reports
David Maraga: Kenya’s Ex-Chief Justice Arrested At Protest Against Building On National Park
Cement, Cash and Courts: How the Hashu Dynasty Crushed the Ramji Brothers for Fourteen Years and Why the Walls Are Now Closing In
Inside The Urban Planning Cartel That Owns Nairobi
Why Ruto’s Favourite Candidate Adan Mohammed Could Be Locked Out of the KRA Top Job
LifeCare on the Brink: SHA Fraud, Stolen Wages, and the Rotten Empire Jayesh Saini Built
Este Medical Kenya Fights American’s Explosive Complaints
The Rot Inside Absa: How Bank Insiders Are Looting Nairobi’s Customers
Betika Faces DCI Probe, Directors Arrest and License Revocation Over Massive 29.5 Million Safaricom Customers’ Data Breach
Inside FAFSA Fraud: How Kenyan Cybercriminals Siphoned Millions from America’s Sh12 Billion Student Loan System
Fresh Move Launched to Remove Kenya Railways MD Mainga From Office After Awarding Sh817 Million Consultancy Contract
Court Confirms Safaricom Customers Data Was Sold To Betting Companies In Seven-Year Cover-Up
-
Investigations4 days agoCement, Cash and Courts: How the Hashu Dynasty Crushed the Ramji Brothers for Fourteen Years and Why the Walls Are Now Closing In
-
Investigations3 days agoInside The Urban Planning Cartel That Owns Nairobi
-
Investigations1 week agoBetika Faces DCI Probe, Directors Arrest and License Revocation Over Massive 29.5 Million Safaricom Customers’ Data Breach
-
Investigations4 days agoFresh Move Launched to Remove Kenya Railways MD Mainga From Office After Awarding Sh817 Million Consultancy Contract
-
News2 weeks agoEight Students Arrested In Kenya After Suspected Deadly School Arson Attack
-
News1 week agoHow Uhuru’s Deal With Obama In 2015 Paved Way For America’s Ebola Plan In Kenya
-
Investigations2 weeks agoThe Invisible Hand: Al Jazeera Further Exposes How Safaricom Became The Regime’s Most Powerful Spy
-
Business5 days agoTRUST BETRAYED: How Senior DTB Bank Insiders Allegedly Looted Sh149 Million From a Customer’s Account Over Five Years