LinkedIn has been fined €310 million by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) for unlawfully processing users’ personal data within the European Union to deliver targeted advertising.
According to a press release from the DPC, processing personal data without a valid legal basis constitutes "a clear and serious violation of the fundamental right to data protection."
The authority highlighted that users were not properly asked for consent. LinkedIn is also required to comply with European data protection law (GDPR), as per the decision.
The professional social network, owned by American tech giant Microsoft, maintains that it believed it was operating in accordance with GDPR, stating: "We are working to align our advertising practices with the DPC’s decision by the specified deadline."
The Irish investigation began following a complaint against LinkedIn in France in 2018. Like many other American tech companies, LinkedIn has its European headquarters in Ireland, making the Irish Data Protection Commission responsible for ensuring compliance with EU regulations.
