Irish Watchdog Fines LinkedIn €310 Million Over Targeted Advertising Practices
The Irish regulator has fined LinkedIn €310 million for violating user privacy. The platform conducted behavioral data analysis for targeted advertising without adequate transparency or consent.
An investigation, launched following a complaint from the French regulator in 2018, found LinkedIn in breach of GDPR principles, notably Articles 5 and 6. The company failed to obtain explicit user consent and provided insufficient information regarding the collection and processing of data for advertising purposes.
As part of the penalty, in addition to paying the fine, LinkedIn must, within three months, align its operations in Europe with GDPR requirements. Specifically, data processing must be conducted fairly and transparently, and user consent must be informed and voluntary.
Graham Doyle, Deputy Commissioner of Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, emphasized that data processing without a legitimate legal basis violates the right to personal data protection. “The legality of data processing is a fundamental element of privacy protection,” he added.
LinkedIn, now owned by Microsoft, responded by stating that its practices adhered to GDPR norms, but the company will take measures to comply with the regulator’s requirements within the stipulated timeframe.
In the age of digital economies, even the largest tech corporations cannot treat users’ personal data as a free resource for profit. Legislation and society demand respect for each individual’s privacy, and substantial fines serve as a clear signal: the era of unrestrained use of personal information is drawing to a close.
