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LinkedIn user data is being used to train artificial intelligence models, leading some social media users to call out the company for opting members in without consent.
The professional networking platform said on its website that when users log on, data is collected for details such as their posts and articles, how frequently they use LinkedIn, language preferences and any feedback users have sent to the company.
The data is used to “improve or develop the LinkedIn services,” LinkedIn said.
Some have taken issue with the feature, particularly the decision to auto-enroll users into it.
“LinkedIn is now using everyone's content to train their AI tool -- they just auto opted everyone in,” wrote X user and Women In Security and Privacy Chair Rachel Tobac. “I recommend opting out now (AND that orgs put an end to auto opt-in, it's not cool).”
In a series of tweets, Tobac argued that social media users “shouldn't have to take a bunch of steps to undo a choice that a company made for all of us” and encouraged members to demand that organizations give them the option to choose whether they opt in to programs beforehand. Others chimed in with similar sentiments.
LinkedIn said on its website this week that it is updating its user agreement and changes will go into effect on Nov. 20. The company said it has clarified practices covered by its privacy policy and added a new opt out setting for training AI models.
The post also included a video featuring LinkedIn's Chief Privacy Officer Kalinda Raina. In the video, Raina said personal data is used so LinkedIn and its affiliates can "improve both security and our products in the generative AI space and beyond."
A spokesperson for LinkedIn confirmed to USA TODAY Thursday afternoon that the company started notifying users about data being used to train generative-AI this week.
"The reality of where we're at today is a lot of people are looking for help to get that first draft of that resume, to help write the summary on their LinkedIn profile, to help craft messages to recruiters to get that next career opportunity," said LinkedIn spokesman Greg Snapper. "At the end of the day, people want that edge in their careers and what our gen-AI services do is help give them that assist."
He stressed that users have choices when it comes to how their data is used and the company has always been up-front about it.
"We've always been clear in our terms of service," he said. "Gen-AI is the newest phase of how companies everywhere are using AI."He also said LinkedIn has always used some form of automation in its products.
LinkedIn users can turn off the feature by clicking here or taking the following steps via desktop:
Click your profile avatar in the top right hand corner on the LinkedIn website
Click Settings & Privacy
Next, click Data Privacy
Click Data for Generative AI Improvement
Toggle the feature off
To turn off the feature via the LinkedIn app, do the following:
Click your profile avatar in the top left hand corner of the LinkedIn app
Click Settings
Click Data Privacy
Click Data for Generative AI Improvement
Toggle the feature off
Examples of data LinkedIn may use to train AI models include articles that users post. If a user posts an article about advice they've received from mentors while also naming those mentors, LinkedIn's generative writing suggestions feature may include those names. The user can then edit or revise the post before publishing, the company said on its website.
Users who try the profile writing suggestions feature, the AI model will use data from their profiles to generate the text.
According to LinkedIn’s website, opting out prevents LinkedIn and its affiliates from using personal data and content to train models in the future but it doesn’t undo or impact training that has already taken place.
“We are initially making this setting available to members whose profile location is outside of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland,” the company said on its website. “If you live in these regions, we and our affiliates will not use your personal data or content on LinkedIn to train or fine-tune generative AI models for content creation without further notice.”
The company said it uses privacy-enhancing technology to redact or remove personal data from the datasets it uses to train AI.
LinkedIn said that for members who use the generative AI powered feature to create content, any information they provide and information generated by their prompts will be stored until the member deletes the data.
To see what data LinkedIn has stored on them, users can take the following steps:
Click your profile avatar in the top right hand corner on the LinkedIn website
Click Settings & Privacy
Next, click Data Privacy
Click get a copy of your data
Members can also delete data LinkedIn has stored or LinkedIn activity by filling out a deletion form.
