LinkedIn has used data from 18 million people outside of its network for Facebook ads



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LinkedIn used the personal information of 18 million people who were not users of this social network to create personalized ads on Facebook. The company recognized the most important and confirmed that this practice had stopped, which was completely contrary to the RGPD.

We continue to hear cases of companies whose privacy policy is at least questionable. The spiral, initiated by the big Facebook scandal with Cambridge Analytica, has been corroborated by the problems faced by Amazon to protect users' personal data (even without cyberattack) or by the mistakes of companies such as Microsoft (which could receive the same information). first major fine of the European GDPR) or British Airways. And the latest example of this negative trend is found, neither more nor less than LinkedIn.

In vain, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DCP) issued a harsh report denouncing that LinkedIn has used 18 million email addresses of people not part of this social network, the ultimate goal being to show them personalized ads on Facebook.. It is unclear where Microsoft obtained this data, but their use was not allowed anyway, as specified in the GDPR.

The complaint – motivated by a complaint from a user concerned by this policy – resulted in an "amicable solution", in the words of the DCP, consisting in practice that LinkedIn put an end to this type of practice.. For its part, LinkedIn recognized the most important through Denis Kelleher, its privacy officer for the EMEA region: "Unfortunately, the robust processes and procedures we put in place were not followed and we regret it, we have taken the right steps and improved the way we work so that it does not happen again. "

Guide to eliminate our accounts on all Internet platforms, from Amazon to LinkedIn

However, the problems do not stop there. Already put, andThe DCP decided to launch a broader audit on the management of personal data by Microsoft's social network, due to concerns "about broader systemic issues". and doubts about the "technical security and organization measures" of this company. And in this second survey, LinkedIn did not pbad the exam either.

Although this seems a technical detail, LinkedIn decided that its algorithms to suggest contacts and create professional networks were run by the firm's parent company (based in the United States) and not by any of its companies in Europe. (as so far done centrally on LinkedIn Ireland). In this way, LinkedIn could bypbad the privacy and data protection rules imposed by the GDPR when it comes to uniting different members of the platform.

In this case too, the problem was resolved amicably: Microsoft acknowledged the problem ("during the audit, we also identified an additional area in which we could improve the confidentiality of the data." have therefore voluntarily modified our practices ") and ceased its practices before the GDPR came into force on May 25th.

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