Linkedin is fined 310 million euros for violating data protection

A European Union (EU) imposed a fine of 343 million euros (around R$1.91 billion) on the professional networking platform LinkedIn for violations of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). The decision, communicated this Thursday (24), reinforces the EU’s strict stance on data protection, in addition to reinforcing the importance of compliance with data protection legislation for companies operating in the region.

LinkedIn would not have obtained appropriate consent or demonstrated a legitimate interest or contractual need to process the data collected from itself and third parties. Graham Doyle, Deputy Commissioner of the DPC (Irish Data Protection Commission) said: “The full admissibility of processing is a fundamental aspect of data protection law and the processing of personal data without an adequate legal basis is a clear and serious violation of the fundamental right to data protection. “.

The investigation stemmed from a 2018 complaint from the French non-profit organization Squaring the Net to verify whether LinkedIn processed its users’ personal data lawfully, correctly and transparently. The case, originally raised with the French data protection authority, has been transferred to the Irish DPC. Linkedin’s European headquarters are in Ireland.

In a note sent to Engadget, Linkedin stated the following:

Irish Data Protection Commission (IDPC) has reached a final decision on 2018 allegations about some of our digital advertising efforts in the EU. While we believe we are compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we are working to ensure our advertising practices comply with this ruling by the IDPC deadline.