Ethical Hacking News
LinkedIn has announced a significant change to its data use terms, effective November 3rd, which will allow the company to scrape data from members in several countries to train AI models. The move has sparked global concerns over data privacy, and users are being urged to opt out of this arrangement before it's too late.
LinkedIn to scrape data from members in Europe, Canada, and Hong Kong starting November 3rd.Data includes profile details, public posts, and feed activity data, but private messages will not be included.The company plans to share scraped data with Microsoft's affiliate companies without explicit consent.Industry experts and lawmakers are raising concerns about the impact on data privacy.Critics argue that LinkedIn's updated terms lack transparency and sufficient consent mechanisms.Users can opt out of sharing their data with affiliates until November 3rd.
LinkedIn, one of the world's largest professional networking platforms, has announced a significant change to its data use terms, effective November 3rd. The update states that the company will begin scraping data from members in several countries, including Europe, Canada, and Hong Kong, to train AI models. This development has sparked widespread concern among users, with many questioning the ethics of using their personal data without explicit consent.
According to LinkedIn's announcement, the data to be scraped includes profile details, public posts, and feed activity data. While private messages will not be included in this data extraction, some have expressed concerns about the potential use of metadata from these messages. The company has taken steps to reassure users that private messages are not included in the data being shared with its affiliates, but many remain skeptical.
The decision to share scraped data with Microsoft's affiliate companies has raised eyebrows among industry experts and lawmakers. This move is seen as a significant shift in LinkedIn's approach to data privacy, with some arguing that it sets a concerning precedent for other social media platforms and tech companies.
Critics argue that the company's updated terms do not provide sufficient transparency or consent mechanisms for users who may not want their data shared with affiliates. As such, many are taking steps to opt out of this data-sharing arrangement before November 3rd.
In response to growing concerns, LinkedIn has created an opt-out process for users in affected countries. This includes toggling off specific preferences under the Data Privacy category in Settings. While these changes may provide some measure of control for individual users, many argue that this is insufficient given the broad scope of the data collection and sharing.
For users who do not wish to participate in this data-sharing arrangement, it is essential to understand the potential implications and take proactive steps to protect their personal information. The one-week opt-out window may seem like a narrow window of opportunity for change, but some argue that it should be extended or made more accessible to ensure greater clarity and consent.
The push back from LinkedIn's AI-training scrape has highlighted broader concerns about data privacy in the digital age. As users navigate this complex and rapidly evolving landscape, it is crucial to prioritize their rights and interests. The Register will continue to monitor developments on this issue and provide updates as they become available.
In response to growing concern over how individuals can opt out of LinkedIn's AI training scrape, we've compiled a simple step-by-step guide below:
1. Log in to your LinkedIn account and go to your settings page.
2. Locate the "Data Privacy" section.
3. Toggle off the preferences that will prevent sharing your data with Microsoft affiliates for advertising purposes.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/One-Week-to-Opt-Out-LinkedIns-AI-Training-Scrape-Sparks-Global-Concerns-Over-Data-Privacy-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/10/27/linkedin_ai_profile_scraping/
Published: Mon Oct 27 13:35:29 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
