You may have noticed that LinkedIn has recently updated their privacy policy. Along with it, LinkedIn started using our profile data for third party advertising, just like how Facebook did it sometime ago. This option is selected for all LinkedIn users by default, leaving less tech-savvy users unknown about LinkedIn’s policy of using their data for third party advertising purposes.
The social advertisement looks like something like this:
(Image from Nakedsecurity.sophos.com)
This option is set to “opt-in” by default. I’m sure that many of us wouldn’t want our photos or name to appear in someone else’s LinkedIn profile, especially when we have no control on where and whose profile this ad may appear. LinkedIn is being criticized for such a move by professionals and tech media all around the world. They have already agreed not to use users photos and names in their social advertisements (You can see that in the image above, “Before and After”).
LinkedIn says in their policy that, “LinkedIn may sometimes pair an advertiser’s message with social content from LinkedIn’s network in order to make the ad more relevant. When LinkedIn members recommend people and services, follow companies, or take other actions, their name/photo may show up in related ads shown to you. Conversely, when you take these actions on LinkedIn, your name/photo may show up in related ads shown to LinkedIn members. By providing social context, we make it easy for our members to learn about products and services that the LinkedIn network is interacting with.”
If you do not wish to let LinkedIn use your data for advertisements, you can disable it by following the simple steps given below.
Step 1: Log in to your Linked and click on “Settings” appearing at the top right corner, under your name.
Step 2: Click on “Account” and then click on “Manage Social Advertising”
Step 3: Un-tick “LinkedIn may use my name, photos in social advertising.”
Read more security and privacy related news here.
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