Belgian consumer protection organization “Testachats” announced Thursday that it has filed a complaint with the Data Protection Authority (DPA) against the business and employment social media platform LinkedIn.
The complaint addresses a recent amendment to the professional networking platform’s privacy policy.
Testachats claimed that LinkedIn’s new policy, in effect since March 26, allows the platform to use its customers’ data, including photos and private messages, to develop its artificial intelligence tools without obtaining prior consent.
Jean-Philippe Ducart, the spokesman for Testachats, criticized LinkedIn for the secretive manner the company used the data.
The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) stipulates that “any changes to personal data processing must be transparently communicated to relevant users, who are also permitted to object to the use of their data.”
The organization has stated that the policy change violates existing legislation. It has also asserted that users who oppose the change “must be permitted to do so without being compelled to close their accounts.”
The Belgian watchdog determined that “while LinkedIn provides an objection form, the company’s support services do not respond to requests, rendering this mechanism ineffective.”
The complaint against LinkedIn follows a similar course of action by Testachats against Meta, Facebook’s holding company, in June. Subsequently, in July, Meta announced a temporary suspension of its objected-to project.
Testachats, a member of Euroconsumers—a global network comprising national consumer organizations in Italy (Altroconsumo), Spain (OCU), Portugal (DecoProteste), and Brazil (Proteste)—is joined by all Euroconsumers members in this complaint.