LinkedIn Uses Your Data for AI Training—Here’s How to Opt Out and Protect Your Privacy

LinkedIn has changed its privacy settings about using personal data to train AI models that generate content. The company didn’t tell users but switched their accounts to allow their data for AI training, according to 404Media. At the same time, LinkedIn updated its privacy policy. The new policy says the company might use member data to train AI models to make its services better.

“We may use your data to improve, develop, and provide products and services, develop and train artificial intelligence (AI) models, develop, provide, and personalize our services, and gain insights with the help of AI, automated systems, and inferences, so that our services can be more relevant and useful to you and others,” said Linkedin in a statement.

LinkedIn puts generative AI to use for things like writing tips and other AI-powered features on its platform. If you don’t want your information to be used, you can opt out. Just go to the “Data privacy” section in your “Account settings” and switch off “Data for Generative AI Improvement.” But keep in mind, LinkedIn says that even if you opt out now, it won’t undo the AI training that’s already happened with your data.

Data for generative AI improvement option in LinkedIn, opt-out if you don’t want your info to be used for AI generation

LinkedIn provides further clarity on its use of personal data for generative AI:

Service to Members: For features such as writing suggestions and any other kind of generative AI-powered feature, processing of members’ data may be involved. For instance, if a member uses the writing suggestion feature to craft an article, personal data like the names of mentors mentioned may be processed.

Data Use: To improve the services it provides, LinkedIn has gathered and processed user data, including feedback, language preferences, interaction patterns, and personal information. However, the business does not train generative AI models using personal information from citizens of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland. 

Feedback and Improvement: The platform may be enhanced by taking into account user feedback for generative AI functions. To improve its services, LinkedIn might link this user-provided feedback to them. 

Safety, Security, and Compliance: To maintain the security and compliance of its services—which may require processing personal data—LinkedIn employs automated techniques, such as generative artificial intelligence. 

Users’ input data and the content that is generated in response when they interact with generative AI-powered features are stored by LinkedIn until they want to delete it. LinkedIn’s data access function allows users to examine their previous sessions as well as the personal information LinkedIn has about them. With this tool, users can also choose to have their data deleted or have it requested to be deleted.

The use of user data by linked-in to train generative AI models becomes one of the best examples of how AI is being assimilated into social media platforms. While LinkedIn still allows users to look at their data and opt out of AI training, the default opt-in has instead caused debates concerning user privacy and informed consent. The more relevant point for those who want to control personal data better would be to keep knowledge of these settings and take action if required.

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