LinkedIn used 18 million non-user e-mails to target Facebook ads

[Speed Weed]

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/25/18111087/linkedin-ireland-data-protection-commission-18-million-non-user-e-mails-targeted-facebook-ads

Quote

LinkedIn says that it’s ‘taken appropriate action’

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission issued a report last week (via TechCrunch) that covered its activities during the first six months of 2018, in which it highlighted a complaint against LinkedIn. It found that the company used millions of e-mail addresses of non-LinkedIn users to target ads on Facebook.

Following a complaint against the company, the DPC conducted an audit and found that it violated data protection regulations. In a bid to grow its user base, LinkedIn “processed hashed email addresses of approximately 18 million non-LinkedIn members,” and then used them to target those individuals with ads on Facebook. As TechCrunch points out, numerous companies moved their data processing operations to Ireland prior to the implementation of new European data regulations. The DPC says that the “complaint was ultimately amicably resolved,” and that LinkedIn has ceased those practices.

We need to delete Facebook for real. Facebook is out of control! Linkedln used 18 million non user emails to targeted facebook ads without owner permission like how the fuck they can find these people emails? 

[mynameisjuan]

This is done with all sites that share your info. Your email is sold to other companies and they do the same thing. Nothing new here. 

[manikyath]

2 minutes ago, mynameisjuan said:

This is done with all sites that share your info. Your email is sold to other companies and they do the same thing. Nothing new here. 

but the fact LinkedIn essentially used those to advertise it's product on the product of possibly their biggest rival.

 

also, as for the matter of this:

14 minutes ago, Speed Weed said:

We need to delete Facebook for real. Facebook is out of control! Linkedln used 18 million non user emails to targeted facebook ads without owner permission like how the fuck they can find these people emails? 

probably quite easy to do so.. in general.. but the fact LinkedIn is turning those into an advertising database is the more worrying part here.

 

what if micky dee's starts taking note of the liense plates of burger king visitors, and starts advertising to those specificly.. sounds quite intrusive of micky dee's right?

[Froody129]

This is what you agree to when you click 'accept cookies'. It's not really news but I definitely agree the current misuse of personal data by companies should not be accepted.  I think we'll be seeing a 'phonefree' movement at some point in the future as people realise where all their data is going

[Pi31415]

Literally every fucking company with a website sell your data, thats how they make money its not a suprise.... Google? They sell everything you search, also this is not 100% confirmed but there are a few conspiracy's where google actually listens to you to target ads. I'm not the kind to be mad about all this I understand the hustle.... 

[ARikozuM]

"Ireland adopts UK tech legislation."

 

Tech companies:

[soldier_ph]

Uhfff, that's Rough.

[mynameisjuan]

3 minutes ago, manikyath said:

probably quite easy to do so.. in general.. but the fact LinkedIn is turning those into an advertising database is the more worrying part here.

 

what if micky dee's starts taking note of the liense plates of burger king visitors, and starts advertising to those specificly.. sounds quite intrusive of micky dee's right?

The emails were probably sold to them via Facebook. This is probably just email sold off and Linkedin just sent ads to those users. Its not this sneaky game of linked in stealing the emails then nefariously forcing it down unsuspecting users throats. 

 

I dunno, I just dont see this as big news because its already being done all over the place. 

[manikyath]

20 minutes ago, mynameisjuan said:

The emails were probably sold to them via Facebook. This is probably just email sold off and Linkedin just sent ads to those users. Its not this sneaky game of linked in stealing the emails then nefariously forcing it down unsuspecting users throats. 

 

I dunno, I just dont see this as big news because its already being done all over the place. 

i dont think they just sold "a list of emails" but i do imagine they can get close enough to overlay their own list of users, based on email address.

 

still, i find the linkedin side of the story significantly more noteworthy than the facebook side.

[Brooksie359]

1 hour ago, manikyath said:

but the fact LinkedIn essentially used those to advertise it's product on the product of possibly their biggest rival.

 

also, as for the matter of this:

probably quite easy to do so.. in general.. but the fact LinkedIn is turning those into an advertising database is the more worrying part here.

 

what if micky dee's starts taking note of the liense plates of burger king visitors, and starts advertising to those specificly.. sounds quite intrusive of micky dee's right?

LinkedIn and Facebook don't really compete. LinkedIn is for buissnes connections. Nobody uses Facebook for the types of things LinkedIn is designed for. 

[asus killer]

all this US tech giants are all the same, there is no more patient for them or for a country that should control them and does nothing.

[manikyath]

7 minutes ago, Brooksie359 said:

LinkedIn and Facebook don't really compete. LinkedIn is for buissnes connections. Nobody uses Facebook for the types of things LinkedIn is designed for. 

but nobody uses LinkedIn on their own intent.

[Brooksie359]

3 minutes ago, manikyath said:

but nobody uses LinkedIn on their own intent.

I am unsure what you mean. I don't know a single person that is an adult that doesn't have an account. This of the people I know and alot of them have used it to find jobs and make business connections. If you are trying to imply that nobody uses LinkedIn for their own benefit you would be quite wrong. Most colleges talk about the importance of a LinkedIn page for finding a job out of college and making connections. 

[manikyath]

Just now, Brooksie359 said:

I am unsure what you mean. I don't know a single person that is an adult that doesn't have an account. This of the people I know and alot of them have used it to find jobs and make business connections. If you are trying to imply that nobody uses LinkedIn for their own benefit you would be quite wrong. Most colleges talk about the importance of a LinkedIn page for finding a job out of college and making connections. 

the thing is LinkedIn is here showing they are directly targetting users who use facebook, but dont use LinkedIn.. the only market of the social media pool LinkedIn doesnt have yet, are the people who think a facebook profile is plenty.

 

they may not serve the same function, but they do serve the same audience.

[Brooksie359]

7 minutes ago, manikyath said:

the thing is LinkedIn is here showing they are directly targetting users who use facebook, but dont use LinkedIn.. the only market of the social media pool LinkedIn doesnt have yet, are the people who think a facebook profile is plenty.

 

they may not serve the same function, but they do serve the same audience.

That doesn't make them competitors....

That would be like if a monitor company targeted people who bought a pc. They both serve the same audience but they clearly don't compete because they serve diffrent functions. 

[manikyath]

Just now, Brooksie359 said:

That doesn't make them competitors....

That would be like if a monitor company targeted people who bought a pc. They both serve the same audience but they clearly don't compete because they serve diffrent functions. 

no, it would be like a monitor company targetting people who use laptops.

 

the ones that dont have a monitor yet are probably just fine with their laptop, but maybe some advertising may turn more of them ot buy a secondary display for their laptop.

[Tony Brady]

I can't say that it's a big surprise or something

[ZacoAttaco]



 

So basically to summarize, LinkedIn has 18 million emails that they haven't received permission to have and were using them to serve Ads.

[Deaderpool]

At this point its almost news that its news...