LinkedIn slapped with $335 mn fine for privacy violations in targeted advertising

New Delhi: LinkedIn has been fined €310 million (approximately $335 million) by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) for breaching the European Union's data privacy laws.

According to news reports, the DPC, acting as the lead privacy regulator for LinkedIn in the EU due to the company's European headquarters being in Dublin, found that LinkedIn processed personal data for targeted advertising without an appropriate legal basis. 

“This practice violates the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a law designed to protect the data rights of EU citizens,” stated the reports. 

The investigation into LinkedIn's practices stemmed from complaints, including one significant input from the French Data Protection Authority, regarding the lawfulness, fairness, and transparency of LinkedIn's data processing for ad targeting. 

The core of the issue was LinkedIn's failure to obtain clear consent from its users for using their personal data in its advertising algorithms.

LinkedIn, which is owned by Microsoft, argued that it believed its operations were in compliance with GDPR.

However, in response to the fine, the company has stated its intention to align its advertising practices more closely with the regulation's requirements by the deadline set by the DPC.

This fine marks one of the largest penalties issued under the GDPR since its enforcement began in 2018.