LinkedIn is sharing your data with AI — unless you tell it not to by Alison Green on September 25, 2024 LinkedIn has a new practice of sharing your personal data to train AI — unless you specifically opt out. That includes your profile, your posts, and your videos. Without announcing it, LinkedIn apparently added a new data privacy setting last week that covers this, and they turned it on for everyone. If you want to opt out, here’s how: In your LinkedIn account, open “Settings & Privacy.” Select “Data privacy” and turn off the option under “Data for generative AI improvement.” Be aware that turning this off will be not retroactive. LinkedIn has already begun training its AI with your content, and there’s no way to undo whatever they’ve already used. You may also like:my brother-in-law shares TMI on LinkedInI google my coworkers -- is that weird?how should I navigate social media connections during a job search? { 119 comments }
Clearance Issues* September 25, 2024 at 12:33 pm thank you, I just logged in to turn that off. Reply ↓
Insert Clever Name Here* September 25, 2024 at 1:24 pm Same! I haven’t logged into Linkedin in 9 years but I still went in and turned it off! Reply ↓
Leslie* September 25, 2024 at 2:17 pm Thanks! I updated a lot of the options. My feed will be boring, but I’m tired of all of the irrelevant ads. Reply ↓
Keyboard Cowboy* September 25, 2024 at 12:34 pm Boooo, Microsoft. Badly done. Thanks for the heads up. Reply ↓
JustKnope* September 25, 2024 at 12:34 pm Oooooh so shady. Thank you for calling attention to this. Reply ↓
postdooc* September 25, 2024 at 1:07 pm I love that companies are so happy to advertise all their ‘AI features’ (with a heavy eye roll), but start sharing your data immediately without any notification… almost as if people wouldn’t have consented otherwise… Reply ↓
ampersand* September 25, 2024 at 3:28 pm Right?! There are a handful of good uses for AI and instead companies have latched on to using it in ways that almost universally upsets the general public. Yay technology. Reply ↓
UnCivilServant* September 25, 2024 at 12:37 pm I feel precient for avoiding social media in all its insidious forms. Reply ↓
NotSocial* September 25, 2024 at 1:47 pm I’m with you. I just deactivated all my social media, including LinkedIn, a few weeks ago and life is already better. Reply ↓
Purple Cat* September 25, 2024 at 12:40 pm Wow. Thanks for the update! I also turned off the “social, economic, and workplace research” option. Felt unnecessary. Reply ↓
Physics Lab Tech* September 25, 2024 at 12:40 pm thank you! also turned off all of the different ways that they can target ads to me as well. Reply ↓
Owlbuddy* September 25, 2024 at 12:41 pm Arrrrrghhhh. Thank you for sharing this. I am so tired of AI being EVERYWHERE. Reply ↓
IncessantOwlbears* September 25, 2024 at 12:41 pm Ugh, that’s so gross of them to do that without prior warning! At what point does this become actionable? Is this legal in Europe? Reply ↓
Oxford Common Sense* September 25, 2024 at 12:46 pm I *think* it’s illegal in Europe, but I’m not certain. I’m not a lawyer in Europe or elsewhere. Reply ↓
Will* September 25, 2024 at 12:48 pm Im European, i dont see this option, so they might not be doing this here Reply ↓
English Rose* September 25, 2024 at 1:23 pm Based in UK and don’t have this option. Maybe not rolled out here yet, maybe not legal. Will keep an eye on it. Reply ↓
Can't remember my username* September 25, 2024 at 1:24 pm Also based in the UK and don’t the the option yet. Hoping it doesn’t arrive here. Reply ↓
call me wheels* September 25, 2024 at 1:25 pm Im in the UK and I did have it to turn off! Very odd! Reply ↓
The Flying Dutchman* September 25, 2024 at 1:53 pm The GDPR (AIUI, as a brand sparkly new formal resident of the EU) requires opt-in for data sharing, so yeah, they can’t Just Do That, and I think they know it – I don’t have the option either. Reply ↓
Pterodactyls are under-cited in the psychological literature* September 25, 2024 at 12:43 pm But AI usage doesn’t need to be regulated because companies will police themselves- Hate this. Want strong data privacy and AI legislation! Reply ↓
Paint N Drip* September 25, 2024 at 2:01 pm Literally why would anyone think that, my god – they have no impetus to police themselves, and they DO have a reason to NOT police themselves Reply ↓
fhqwhgads* September 25, 2024 at 2:53 pm This isn’t really an AI issue even though that’s what they’re using the data for. It’s still just a plain old data privacy issue. I’m sort of surprised they managed to roll it out this way, even with it off in the EU. My understanding of GDPR is it applies to anyone in the EU regardless of citizenship and any EU citizen regardless of location. So they may have violated GDPR anyway. Reply ↓
CoffeeOwlccountant* September 25, 2024 at 12:44 pm Thank you so much, Alison! This is ENRAGING. Reply ↓
Helvetica* September 25, 2024 at 12:44 pm FYI, it is not there for European Economic Area, Switzerland and UK users due to existing data privacy laws. Reply ↓
Agent Diane* September 25, 2024 at 12:52 pm It very much was there for me, and I’m in the UK. Reply ↓
Sharpie* September 25, 2024 at 2:31 pm Have you got any location data settings set up to show you not in Europe? (I’m not on LinkedIn now and I sure as hell won’t be after this, either.) Reply ↓
The Prettiest Curse* September 25, 2024 at 1:31 pm I am in the UK and don’t see that option, so maybe it only applies to some users. I created my LinkedIn account while I was living in the US, so you think that would make it more likely that I’d have the default opt-in. Reply ↓
Wanderland* September 25, 2024 at 12:44 pm THANK YOU! I just turned it off. I’m over AI being embedded into all these apps and sites. This is a reminder to check everything. Reply ↓
High Score!* September 25, 2024 at 12:45 pm Ugh! Opt out should be illegal. Things like that need to be opt in. So sketch! Our laws need to catch up with technology. US doesn’t even have any “right to be forgotten” or “retract consent” laws like European countries do. Reply ↓
Kyrielle* September 25, 2024 at 1:15 pm THIS. Or at the very least give public open warning and *don’t turn the feature on for a couple weeks* until anyone who wants to opt out has a chance to do so, but frankly, that’s not good enough for things like this, I don’t think. Reply ↓
Dawn* September 25, 2024 at 1:43 pm The EU is so far ahead of everyone else on this. When I visit Canadian-only websites, I don’t get the option to turn off cookies. I do get that option everywhere else, because of EU data privacy laws, but for sites like those owned by Loblaw’s (our major and very wealthy and very shady grocery etc retail owner) I don’t get that option at all, just “we use cookies and by visiting our website you consent.” These days I do use an extension called Ghostery to nab all the cookies that consent settings don’t get, but it’s so ridiculous that we have to go to such extreme lengths to maintain our basic privacy and not have our information sold. Reply ↓
Person from the Resume* September 25, 2024 at 12:45 pm Thanks for this info. I barely use LinkedIn, but it has a fairly out of date profile for me. I will login and opt out. Reply ↓
juliebulie* September 25, 2024 at 12:47 pm Very sneaky. And the option to turn it off isn’t easy to find if you don’t know exactly where to look. -1000 points, linkedin. Reply ↓
Jenn* September 25, 2024 at 12:47 pm Thanks Alison! Just opted out and posted a link to your column on LinkedIn. Reply ↓
jane's nemesis* September 25, 2024 at 1:37 pm same, thanks for the idea to post it onto the offending site itself! Reply ↓
3dognight* September 25, 2024 at 2:23 pm I think this is amazing of you to do this! I’m going to go do the same thing! Reply ↓
Gatomon* September 25, 2024 at 12:48 pm I’m beginning to think LinkedIn is a mistake. I actually haven’t got an account. But Teams periodically tries to link me to a LinkedIn account. There’s someone (who is obviously not me) on LinkedIn with the same name. Teams keeps asking me to confirm and link my work account with this person’s LinkedIn. The name of this person’s company is mildly inappropriate, though it’s a legitimate business. :( It claims I’m the only one who can see this, but I don’t believe them. Reply ↓
Judge Judy and Executioner* September 25, 2024 at 1:49 pm If you have a job at aren’t looking for a new one, LinkedIn is really only useful for networking. If you are looking for a job, LinkedIn is one of the best places to be for corporate roles in the US. My last 2 employers recruited me through LinkedIn direct messages, and a previous manager barely used their account but was also recruited through the platform. When I was laid off, LinkedIn was how I communicated with my network that I was out of a job and needed a new one. I was much more successful job hunting when I was referred than through places I found on my own. Reply ↓
Stuart Foote* September 25, 2024 at 12:49 pm I know some people think that AI is going to be taking all our jobs and changing the world, but I can’t remember a more useless innovation that absolutely no one likes using (aside from playing with ChatGPT, cheating on school assignments, and generating crappy images). Google’s AI results? Terrible. Any AI chatbot you get when trying to deal with getting something sorted out with a company? Awful experience. All those AI pictures sketchy Twitter accounts use? All horrible pictures. (I do understand that AI can help with coding and probably some other things, but 90% of the applications are pretty useless). Remember that one Super Bowl that was all crypto ads? And then how so many tech companies pivoted to the “metaverse” after that? If the AI bubble bursts that will be three sizable tech bubbles in a row, all while the core functions of these tech companies (search, social networking, shopping) decay more and more. Reply ↓
FrivYeti* September 25, 2024 at 1:21 pm Yep. Part of the reason that AI is so aggressive right now is that they have no use cases and no functionality and no way to be profitable, and if the bubble bursts here it’s going to take a lot of companies down with it because they thought they had a miracle money-printing machine. The real threat is that so many big companies are so obsessed with AI “savings” that they will forge ahead anyway, replacing everyone’s jobs with much harder, lower-paying jobs fixing AI output, and providing substantially worse services but with no alternatives available because they’ve roped too many people into the scam. Reply ↓
call me wheels* September 25, 2024 at 1:28 pm Someone recommended me Ed Zitron’s blog series of articles on the AI bubble and why it all happens and things like that. I don’t have a great deal of knowledge about this stuff but it seemed well informed and reasonable and I found it very interesting and informative, so I would probably recommend also if anyone is interested. Reply ↓
Ganymede II* September 25, 2024 at 1:29 pm There’s no way anyone will want to pay the actual real cost of AI when they start getting handed the electricity bill that comes with it. Right now they’re in the “move fast and break things” phase, but what they’re breaking is the electrical grid and pumping up rivers and water tables. It’s ridiculous. Reply ↓
Trixie Belden was my hero* September 25, 2024 at 1:50 pm I saw an article this week that they are reopening Three Mile Island to sell electricity to Microsoft for AI. This is the nuclear reactor in Harrisburg, PA that had the worse U.S. nuclear accident in 1978. I remember it as a teen because I grew up 125 miles north of there and recently moved back in retirement. I vividly remember it because neighbors were very nervous and one set of parents were talking about sending their kids north to family in Connecticut. Funny what comes back to you when you see an article. Reply ↓
Stuart Foote* September 25, 2024 at 2:14 pm I work in the energy industry, and we should definitely put as much nuclear power as we can onto the grid. Three Mile Island was scary but didn’t kill anyone. Calling it the “worst” nuclear accident is accurate but underlines just how safe nuclear is. Reply ↓
Dawn* September 25, 2024 at 1:51 pm So I am 100% dead set against AI But it turns out that the “electricity” accusations are genuinely media hype and not reality. I consider it a moral imperative to oppose AI…. but I recently learned that I was completely wrong about the electricity and water use: https://blog.giovanh.com/blog/2024/08/18/is-ai-eating-all-the-energy-part-1-of-2/ Reply ↓
Hannah Lee* September 25, 2024 at 2:01 pm ^ this! I hate when companies profiteer by externalizing costs of what they are doing. In the US, multiple states are STILL trying to undo the damage done by GE dumping tons on PCBs in rivers, and those waterways and surrounding lands are likely never going to go back to what they were. Poison fish, poison land, chronic health issues in people who lived nearby … and the clean up and the fencing off the hazards and the long term monitoring was often done at taxpayer expense, not to mention the health care and quality of life costs. Jack Welch and all those other “titans of industry” who were venerated when GE was SO successful weren’t the ones paying all those costs, unless the courts forced them to pony up a tiny amount, often decades after the damage is done. These aren’t brilliant business leaders driving the next amazing thing, these are grifters and smoke and mirrors artists stealing from others and mortgaging our collective futures. Reply ↓
Venus* September 25, 2024 at 1:47 pm There’s a lot of really useful AI! But what the public sees with social media is a bit like thinking that OJ Simpson is all of sports. Reply ↓
Dawn* September 25, 2024 at 1:49 pm Doctorow has a ton of good insight on AI, but this is probably the one I’d recommend here: https://doctorow.medium.com/https-pluralistic-net-2024-05-09-shitting-in-the-well-advon-d851083bf04f But also here’s his article about the AI bubble specifically: https://doctorow.medium.com/what-kind-of-bubble-is-ai-d02040b5573a Reply ↓
Owlbuddy* September 25, 2024 at 1:59 pm The only AI tool I use is one that cleans up audio and removes background noise (for video, podcasts, etc.) and it does a great job. The “generative” AI that is trained on other people’s work is what really gets my goat!!! Reply ↓
Hydrangea* September 25, 2024 at 2:23 pm It’s taken a lot of jobs in marketing and comms in my set. We think the AI-generated work is terrible but leaders can’t tell the difference, don’t know how to measure the difference, and are thrilled with the cost savings of booting copywriters and designers to the curb. Reply ↓
Why why why* September 25, 2024 at 12:54 pm Thank you! I opted out. This is SO gross and manipulative Reply ↓
The Ginger Ginger* September 25, 2024 at 12:59 pm I HATE the way the US does opt-out as a default instead of opt-in. It always feels so scummy and exploitative no matter what the use case is. It’s especially gross for something like this. Reply ↓
M2RB* September 25, 2024 at 1:07 pm Same – I managed to avoid going on a rant about the theft of intellectual property in my post, but I posted to my LI feed with a link to Alison’s post. Reply ↓
Eleanor* September 25, 2024 at 1:01 pm OMG I have had it up to here with this AI craze!! It’s just not that useful and the way it’s being shoved into every aspect of our online lives is infuriating. Reply ↓
653-CXK* September 25, 2024 at 1:04 pm In my honest opinion, AI is modern-day plagiarism, mixed in with bad actors wanting to warp thoughts, opinions and stories through their own biases. I would avoid it at all costs. Any new computer or phone will have it turned off as soon as it leaves the box. Reply ↓
653-CXK* September 25, 2024 at 1:19 pm That should read “Any new computer or phone I purchase in the future…” Reply ↓
Emotional support capybara (he/him)* September 25, 2024 at 1:21 pm In my field “why should I pay you to design stuff when AI can do it for free” is rapidly becoming the new “why should I pay you to do what my nephew can do for $5.” Ok, good luck with that. The nephew did a much better job, btw. Reply ↓
Strive to Excel* September 25, 2024 at 1:07 pm Hey, AI companies, we’d all probably be a lot more interested in sharing our data if you didn’t establish a baseline of sketchy by doing stuff like this! Also, eff off and take your ads with you. Reply ↓
M2RB* September 25, 2024 at 1:09 pm Exactly, if they hadn’t started by stealing from creators, then I might be more inclined to let them use my data. But nope, they are clearly and unrepentantly thieves and criminals so they are forever in my “NOPE” list. Reply ↓
yvve* September 25, 2024 at 1:13 pm ok moral issues aside, now i want to see a chatbot trained entirely on LinkedIn content. High comedy potential Reply ↓
Strive to Excel* September 25, 2024 at 1:53 pm There have been some very entertaining results from Google’s AI. There’s one particular screenshot floating around of AI recommending mixing a stick of Elmer’s glue into pizza cheese to get ‘stretchier’ cheese. Best guess is that it pulled that from a “terrible life hacks” thread on Reddit. Turns out, AI doesn’t understand sarcasm. Reply ↓
bripops* September 25, 2024 at 3:03 pm I’ve also seen the Google AI Overview say the safe temperature for chicken was 135F Reply ↓
The Wizard Rincewind* September 25, 2024 at 1:17 pm Gross. I hate that it’s opt-out and not opt-in, and that if you didn’t catch it in time, then too bad, so sad, you’ve contributed your info whether you like it or not. Reply ↓
Emotional support capybara (he/him)* September 25, 2024 at 1:32 pm The AI devs know perfectly well the only way they’re going to get any usable plagiarism fodder–excuse me, “training data–” is a sneaky opt-out thing, because no artist or writer with two brain cells to rub together is going to hand over their entire body of work to be cannibalized. They straight up admit the only way they can operate is to use human creators’ work without permission, credit, or compensation. Reply ↓
Seeking Second Childhood* September 25, 2024 at 1:18 pm Any idea if it’s possible to do so for a deceased family member who felt strongly about the subject? Reply ↓
Hlao-roo* September 25, 2024 at 1:21 pm I think if you have the account login information, you can just log in to the account and change the settings. If you don’t have the login information, there’s an option the contact LinkedIn to close the account (if you are authorized to act on the behalf of the deceased). The LinkedIn page titled “Deceased LinkedIn member” has more information. I’ll link in a follow-up comment. Reply ↓
Hlao-roo* September 25, 2024 at 1:21 pm https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a1380121 Reply ↓
Good Lord Ratty* September 25, 2024 at 1:36 pm You would need to gain access to their account. Reply ↓
Delightful Daisy* September 25, 2024 at 1:21 pm Thanks for the heads up, Alison! I had deleted my LI account several years ago but then had to recreate it for a work need. I couldn’t avoid it. It’s the blandest LI profile imaginable. I have all the “find me” features turned off or as low as I can. Tempted to delete it again based on this. Reply ↓
AnonInCanada* September 25, 2024 at 1:23 pm I love it how Alison also posted it in the JERKS subheading. Because that’s a jerk move by LinkedIn (or more likely, their parent, Micro$oft). Good thing I don’t use LinkedIn. To paraphrase an old video game: “All your data are belong to us.” If it weren’t for me needing Windows to run Quickbooks, I would be running Linux right now. Reply ↓
Ganymede II* September 25, 2024 at 1:26 pm I don’t see that option at all. Is it maybe only enabled in some geographies? Reply ↓
Sharpie* September 25, 2024 at 2:46 pm If you’re in a region covered by GDPR, this breaks that so is highly unlikely to be rolled out in Europe. Can’t speak for anywhere else, though. Reply ↓
Lady Lessa* September 25, 2024 at 1:26 pm Done and forwarded a screen shot to two co-workers. I know that one posts on Linkedin Many thanks Reply ↓
aunttora* September 25, 2024 at 1:28 pm A couple of years back I decided (as I approach retirement age) to scrub my online presence, including LinkedIn. I don’t remember the details of the mechanics of it, my intent was to completely obliterate the account – but somehow in the course of it I clicked on the “connect to someone you may know” button and apparently sent an invite (or whatever) to the company’s CEO. I quickly reached out to their exec assistant to let them know it wasn’t on purpose! (Just hope they manage CEO’s account.) So glad to be transitioning out of the work world as all this becomes more and more of a thing. Reply ↓
No Mercy Percy* September 25, 2024 at 1:35 pm Adding one more to the long list of “reasons I deleted LinkedIn years ago” Reply ↓
Dawn* September 25, 2024 at 1:37 pm Thank you for sharing this, I shared it with my network there immediately. One more reason to point at for why I’ve been cutting as many corporate interests out of my life lately as possible; they’re all evil in this day and age. Reply ↓
Dawn* September 25, 2024 at 1:40 pm For the record: LinkedIn is the only “social media” account I have left. I’ve wiped all of the rest, and I wish I felt like I could wipe LinkedIn too, but I think it’s a special case: when I started my job search again recently it’s how I got in touch with all of my references. So I can’t just toss it out… but this BS really makes me wish that I could. Reply ↓
bripops* September 25, 2024 at 1:37 pm is there a way to opt out a company page? I run my work’s account but I don’t see a privacy option in the settings. Reply ↓
CubeFarmer* September 25, 2024 at 1:40 pm Thanks. I turned that off, and lots of other settings in there. Reply ↓
WorkInnit* September 25, 2024 at 1:47 pm I don’t have this in my LinkedIn. I’m in Europe, maybe it’s because our privacy laws are different. Reply ↓
MediumEd* September 25, 2024 at 1:48 pm Thanks for the heads up! Just turned it off. Are there any other sites that do this? Reply ↓
Relentlessly Socratic* September 25, 2024 at 1:55 pm Xitter does it (I’m still there because of my fandom peeps) For folks still on the Xitter: Find it under Settings–> Privacy and safety –> Data sharing and personalization –> Grok Reply ↓
Dawn* September 25, 2024 at 2:00 pm I just couldn’t justify staying on Twitter after Everything That Happened. I lost a lot of friends there. But…. Reply ↓
CV* September 25, 2024 at 1:59 pm Thanks. Companies sell our information many ways, so it’s good to turn it off when possible. (AI is just the latest version, as I’m sure everyone knows.) Reply ↓
Higgs Bison* September 25, 2024 at 1:59 pm I would switch it off, but LinkedIn is requiring ID to get back into this account (which I haven’t used for years), and my name has changed, so my ID doesn’t match. Reply ↓
Dawn* September 25, 2024 at 2:01 pm I just had to go a dozen rounds with a company for exactly that – they asked for my name change certificate three different times, and the third time I’m like, “Please explain to me why you keep asking for this same document that I’ve already sent you.” Reply ↓
Dawn* September 25, 2024 at 2:01 pm Old account I’d completely forgotten about on a niche payments site, but it had my banking information in it….. Reply ↓
Anonymous Mental Health Person* September 25, 2024 at 2:07 pm Welp, this inspired me to contact my EHR to request their privacy policies and any other info on how they use their AI feature. I had turned it off immediately upon its introduction as I did not want it poking around in my clients’ files to train it. But whew, thanks for making me think about this again. On top of all of the other downsides to AI features, I am absolutely not helping these companies attempt to replace therapists with bots trained on our own documentation about real people and their real therapy. I am absolutely not helping insurance companies find even more ways to devalue our work. They can go fly a kite. Reply ↓
Jamie Starr* September 25, 2024 at 2:11 pm I wonder how much of your data they can mine if you’ve opted out, but someone you’re connected with hasn’t? I log into LinkedIn about once every few months – if that – but don’t post or comment on anyone’s info and my profile is set to private but if I’m 1st degree of connection to someone that’s still data. Hate AI. Reply ↓
Anon Attorney* September 25, 2024 at 2:35 pm WOW. Thank you for sharing. In the process of turning this off, I noticed that this was also enabled to “on” without my knowledge: Data research Can we enable trusted third-party partners to use data about you for social, economic, and workplace research? Reply ↓
Sharpie* September 25, 2024 at 2:48 pm There’s got to be a special place in hell for people who do this kind of thing. Reply ↓
Dawn* September 25, 2024 at 2:57 pm Unfortunately, it’s on top of a really big pile of money. Reply ↓
TiffIf* September 25, 2024 at 3:07 pm Except AI really isn’t making money which is why companies are so desperately pushing it hoping to find some way to effectively monetize it. Reply ↓
Introvert girl* September 25, 2024 at 3:15 pm Luckily living in the EU with it’s privacy regulation has its’ benefits. We don’t have this issue with LinkedIn. Reply ↓