LinkedIn has recently come under fire for training AI models using data from its users without explicit consent. The social network automatically opted accounts into this practice, prompting concerns about privacy and data usage.
If you’re a LinkedIn user, you may want to take action to ensure your data is not being used for AI training purposes. To opt out, you’ll need to navigate to the Data privacy tab in your account settings and disable the “Data for Generative AI Improvement” toggle. This will prevent LinkedIn from using your personal data for training models in the future.
It’s important to note that opting out only applies to future data usage and does not undo any training that has already occurred. LinkedIn assures users that it employs privacy-enhancing technologies to protect personal data and does not use data from individuals in the EU, EEA, or Switzerland for training purposes.
In addition to generative AI models, LinkedIn also utilizes other machine learning tools for personalization and moderation. If you want to opt out of data usage for these purposes as well, you will need to fill out the LinkedIn Data Processing Objection Form.
This controversy surrounding LinkedIn’s AI training practices comes in the wake of Meta’s admission to scraping non-private user data for model training dating back to 2007. As tech companies continue to push the boundaries of AI development, it is crucial for users to stay informed and take control of their data privacy.