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    LinkedIn opts 100 million users into sharing private information within advertisements

    LinkedIn users are upset that the company has taken the Facebook approach in regards to online privacy with a recent change to the privacy policy. Under the guise of providing more privacy control to the user, the social network has automatically opted-in its 100 million users into the social advertising program without informing them of the change beyond a blog post. When a LinkedIn user views a third-party advertisement on the social network, they will see user profile pictures and names of connections if that connection has recommended or followed a brand. Any time that a user follows a brand, they unwittingly become a cheerleader for the company or organization if it advertises through LinkedIn.

    In order to opt out of social advertising, the LinkedIn user has to take four steps to escape third-party advertisements:

    Hover over the user name in the top right hand corner of any LinkedIn page and click ‘Settings’. On the Settings page, click ‘Account’. On the Account tab, click ‘Manage Social Advertising’. Uncheck the box next to “LinkedIn may use my name, photo in social advertising.” and click the save button.

    Users also may want to opt out of receiving email from LinkedIn advertisers. This setting also allows LinkedIn advertising partners to spam users with promotions during email marketing campaigns if the user follows the brand. To opt out of this setting, click the Email Preferences tab and click on the ‘Turn on/off partner InMail’ link to locate the check box. 

    It’s also been reported that LinkedIn likely broke Dutch privacy law after opting all Netherlands users into the new setting.  The Dutch Data Protection Authority requires social networks and other online agencies to ask users before allowing consent for using portraits within advertisements. Legal authorities have faulted LinkedIn for opting users into the service without initial consent as well as failing to educate users about the change. LinkedIn has yet to respond to recent criticism of the new social advertising policy through a press release or an official blog post.

     

    29 comments

    • curts  •  9 mths ago
      When will companies learn that automatic customer opt-in to marketing is NEVER acceptable?
      • Bumpsman 9 mths ago
        When they can't make millions of dollars by deceptive practices.
      • VladimiradfM 3 mths ago
        How are they supposed to make money off of you then? Give you free services? That's not a company its charity, get real.
    • Gregory  •  9 mths ago
      Oh no I needed to opt out. Its all greed. LinkedIn is the leader why chance Failure?
    • 7440-70-2  •  9 mths ago
      It's all about the benjamins... Show me the money!
    • JD  •  9 mths ago
      Funnily enough I became aware of this article through the LinkedIn news headlines
    • Tyrone M  •  9 mths ago
      So they just sold 100 million users information for $5 a piece and any fine wont even come close to 5 million dollars. Profit $495 million
    • Lonny Gulden  •  9 mths ago
      Check out the LinkedIn Blog for their side of the story.
      ttp://blog.linkedin.com/2011/08/11/social-ads-update/trackback/
      • Brian Hammerhead 9 mths ago
        Thanks, Lonny. While I don't condone LinkedIn's opt-in approach, I really appreciate it when someone steps forward and offers additional (accurate) information on the subject. Having the "other side" of the story helps validate fact instead of media hype. Good work.
      • Brandon 9 mths ago
        Thank you for the link. That would have been a useful addition to the story.
    • Russell  •  9 mths ago
      Brilliantly, LinkedIn just emailed me this story as one of their "Top Headlines in Computer Software". Good honesty there, LinkedIn email robot.
    • Cody  •  9 mths ago
      Thanks for the heads up!
    • Rex Carrs  •  9 mths ago
      There should be a class action lawsuit with 100,000,000 plaintiffs.
    • photog  •  9 mths ago
      Thanks for the heads up. I'm soo sick of these privacy problems.
    • Samson  •  9 mths ago
      Thanks for the heads up. I have just gone in and did the changes to my profile, so that I will not get either an ad from a third party company nor receive promotions during email marketing campaigns if I follow any brand.

      It looks as if it is turning into Facebook. Bad move on the part of LinkedIn.
    • al'semail  •  9 mths ago
      these companies never learn because we do not want them to.. we keep using their 'free' service.
    • ★ChokeMe★  •  9 mths ago
      Great. More free money for the rich fat aas republicans. Its perfectly ok for them to sit around and be lazy and deceitful but its not ok for everyone else? That's a double standard. You are no better than the welfare recipients you so proudly bash everyday. Perhaps much richer needless to say, but you still belong in the gutter as you say they should be.
    • Sri Prakash  •  9 mths ago
      Video instructions to turn off the sharing of private info with advertisers.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muJtarHEwVk&feature=youtu.be
    • Caroline M.  •  9 mths ago
      Haha!
    • Frederic  •  9 mths ago
      opt-out done ...
    • A Yahoo! User  •  9 mths ago
      Another job for Anonymous!. LinkedIn probably is next in line after FB.
    • Tara Web  •  9 mths ago
      Linkedin did notify users of their altered Privacy Policy in June (http://www.linkedin.com/static?key=pop/pop_privacy_policy) However, the links to change your settings did not work at that time.
      @Robert Falla, Using opt-out instead of opt-in is bad, whatever the reason is. It is simply wrong to force individuals automatically into something they have not asked for. I understand why they do not play "fair" though. This is not about social networking, this is about advertising, which is being paid for. There can be several reasons to follow a company, this does not mean you want to appear in their advertisement automatically.
    • ไพโรจน์  •  9 mths ago
      we had many connection with world wide operator coresponsdance the telecommunication knowleght base of technology IP/TV services plateform internation base look like TOT,CAT,KT,SK,Singtel,TATA telecommunication operating submarine cable net working
    • Brian Griffin  •  9 mths ago
      That is not good!!!
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