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In response to new European Union regulations, LinkedIn has disabled a tool that utilized sensitive personal data for targeted advertising. This measure aligns with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates greater user control over personal data and prohibits the use of sensitive information such as race, sexual orientation, or political opinions for advertising purposes.
The decision follows a complaint by civil society organizations to the European Commission, the regulatory body for the 27-country bloc. The groups had raised concerns that LinkedIn’s tool might allow advertisers to target users based on sensitive data inferred from their membership in LinkedIn groups.
Patrick Corrigan, LinkedIn’s Vice President, explained the change in a post: “We’ve decided to adjust those tools by removing the ability to create an advertising audience in Europe that uses membership in LinkedIn Groups as an input. We made this change to prevent any misconception that ads to European members could be indirectly targeted based on special categories of data or related profiling categories.”
EU industry chief Thierry Breton praised the move, emphasizing the Commission’s ongoing commitment to monitoring LinkedIn’s compliance with the DSA. He stated, “The Commission will monitor the effective implementation of LinkedIn’s public pledge to ensure full compliance with the DSA.”
The action has been well-received by the complainants—European Digital Rights (EDRi), Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte (GFF), Global Witness, and Bits of Freedom. Nienke Palstra of Global Witness expressed hope that LinkedIn would extend this policy globally, ensuring comprehensive protection against invasive ad targeting.
LinkedIn’s compliance with the DSA represents a significant step towards safeguarding user data and maintaining transparency in digital advertising, setting a precedent for other tech companies operating in the EU.
