Microsoft's LinkedIn sued for disclosing customer information to train AI models

Core Viewpoint - LinkedIn is facing a class action lawsuit from Premium customers for allegedly disclosing private messages to third parties for training generative AI models without consent [1][5]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit was filed in the federal court in San Jose, California, on behalf of LinkedIn Premium customers who sent or received InMail messages, claiming their private information was shared before September 18, 2024 [3][6]. - Plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages for breach of contract and violations of California's unfair competition law, along with $1,000 per person for violations of the federal Stored Communications Act [3][7]. Group 2: Privacy Policy Changes - LinkedIn introduced a privacy setting in August 2024 that allowed users to manage the sharing of their personal data, followed by a discreet update to its privacy policy on September 18, 2024, indicating that data could be used for AI training [2][3]. - The update included a statement in the FAQ section that opting out "does not affect training that has already taken place," suggesting LinkedIn was aware of potential privacy violations [2]. Group 3: Context of the Lawsuit - The lawsuit was filed shortly after President Donald Trump announced a joint venture involving Microsoft-based OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, with a potential investment of $500 billion to build AI infrastructure in the U.S. [6].