LinkedIn faces major class action lawsuit in 2025 over AI training data privacy concerns

Microsoft‘s professional networking platform LinkedIn is facing significant legal challenges as Premium subscribers file a class-action lawsuit alleging unauthorized sharing of private messages for AI model training. The lawsuit, filed on January 22, 2025, in San Jose federal court, represents millions of LinkedIn Premium users who exchanged private InMail messages before September 2024.

LinkedIn class action lawsuit allegations

The lawsuit centers on LinkedIn’s August 2024 introduction of a privacy setting that allowed users to control their personal data sharing. According to the complaint, LinkedIn then “discreetly” updated its privacy policy on September 18, 2024, to permit data use for training AI models. A crucial point of contention is that while users could opt out of future data collection, this action wouldn’t affect data already used for AI training purposes.

Privacy concerns

The plaintiffs argue that these private messages contain highly sensitive information about employment, intellectual property, and compensation matters. The lawsuit claims that customer data is now permanently embedded in AI systems without proper consent, potentially exposing users to future unauthorized use of their personal information.

Legal claims and damages

The legal action seeks multiple forms of compensation:

1. Damages for breach of contract
2. Violations of California’s unfair competition law
3. $1,000 per person for violations of the federal Stored Communications Act

LinkedIn’s response

A spokesperson has stated that the lawsuit’s claims are “false” and lack merit. The company maintains that it uses “privacy enhancing technologies” to protect user data, though the specifics of these protections remain unclear.

Broader impact

This legal challenge comes at a crucial time for Microsoft and LinkedIn, coinciding with significant AI developments and raising questions about data privacy in the age of artificial intelligence. The case could set important precedents for how social media platforms handle user data for AI training purposes.