Until yesterday, LinkedIn users’ names and photos may have been used in third party ad campaigns without the user’s consent.
We came across this post on the Steve Woodruff, Connection Agent blog that explains how to uncheck this default setting.
LinkedIn had a default setting whereby users’ names and photos could be used for third party advertising.
“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,” states LinkedIn.
Is it right that LinkedIn thought it could use people’s data (names & photos) without their consent? Is it legal? Just because a person might like or endorse a product doesn’t mean that they also endorse their data being used for an ad campaign – a campaign that will pay them nothing, just use them.
It would be interesting to get some feedback and comments from Irish users of LinkedIn to see what they feel about this setting. Do people feel LinkedIn had a right to do this? Do people feel this is a serious infringement on individual privacy?
Here’s how to ‘uncheck’ the default setting, courtesy of Steve Woodruff:
Apparently, LinkedIn has recently done us the ‘favor’ of having a default setting whereby our names and photos can be used for third-party advertising. Devious. And I expect that you, like me, don’t want to participate.
This graphic shows you how to Uncheck The Box (click to biggify):
1. Click on your name on your LinkedIn homepage (upper right corner). On the drop-down menu, select “Settings”.
2. From the “Settings” page, select “Account*”.
3. In the column next to “Account”, click “Manage Social Advertising” .
4. De-select the box next to “LinkedIn may use my name, photo in social advertising” .
Nice try, LinkedIn. But, no thanks!
*UPDATE: After you finish with Account, check the new default settings under E-mail Preferences (such as Partner InMails); and Groups, Companies & Applications (such as Data Sharing with 3rd-party applications). It’s a Facebook deja vu!
