LinkedIn fined $335 million in EU for tracking ads privacy breaches

LinkedIn faces €310 million GDPR fine for privacy violations in its ad tracking.

: LinkedIn, owned by Microsoft, has been fined €310 million by the Irish Data Protection Commission for GDPR violations concerning ad tracking. The DPC found LinkedIn's justifications for processing user data invalid, failing in lawfulness, fairness, and transparency. Following a complaint by La Quadrature Du Net in 2018, the decision was finalized after consultations with other EU data protection authorities.

LinkedIn, a Microsoft-owned social network, has faced its most significant sanction with a fine of €310 million from the Irish Data Protection Commission under GDPR for privacy violations connected to its tracking ads business. The regulator identified several breaches, including a lack of lawfulness, fairness, and transparency in its data processing activities and found LinkedIn's claims of 'consent', 'legitimate interests', and 'contractual necessity' invalid.

The fine places LinkedIn among the top ten biggest GDPR penalties on Big Tech. This case originated from a 2018 complaint by the digital rights group La Quadrature Du Net in France and was passed to the Irish DPC as Microsoft’s GDPR lead oversight body. After an extensive complaint-based investigation initiated in August 2018, a draft decision was submitted six years later in July 2024.

The final decision required LinkedIn to align its operations with GDPR by a deadline. LinkedIn's spokesman, Jonny Wing, stated the company is working to ensure adherence to the IDPC's decision, even though they previously believed they were in compliance with GDPR. Additionally, Microsoft had already predicted this sanction and set aside funds previously.

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