A leading data protection group on Tuesday filed a complaint in Austria against LinkedIn, accusing the professional networking platform of unlawfully handling and monetising user data.
Vienna-based Noyb—short for “None of Your Business”—said it submitted the complaint to the Austrian Data Protection Authority on behalf of a LinkedIn user seeking full access to his personal data.
The group said the user is demanding a complete response to his data access request, and is also calling for sanctions to be imposed on the Microsoft-owned platform.
According to Noyb, LinkedIn has refused to fully comply with access requests, citing data protection concerns. At the same time, it allegedly encourages users to subscribe to its premium service to view who has visited their profile pages.
“People have the right to receive their own data free of charge,” said Noyb data protection lawyer Martin Baumann.
The group also questioned the legality of LinkedIn’s visitor tracking practices, arguing that users do not provide explicit consent for such data collection.
It added that the practice raises concerns under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs how companies collect and use personal data.
Noyb has filed numerous complaints in recent years, often prompting regulatory scrutiny of major technology companies.
Founded in 2018 alongside the introduction of the GDPR, the organisation focuses on strengthening digital privacy rights and ensuring users retain control over their personal information.
AFP
