LinkedIn scanning users' browser extensions sparks controversy and two lawsuits

Key Points:

• LinkedIn faces two class action lawsuits in California alleging it scans users' browsers to detect installed extensions without adequate disclosure or consent, relying heavily on a recent "BrowserGate" report by advocacy group Fairlinked.
• The lawsuits claim LinkedIn's scanning practices violate privacy laws by collecting sensitive data about users' browser extensions, potentially revealing religious, political, or health-related information, and sharing this with third parties without user knowledge.
• LinkedIn acknowledges scanning browsers to identify extensions that violate its terms, particularly those scraping user data without consent, but denies wrongdoing, stating the practice is disclosed in its privacy policy and is aimed at preventing abuse and ensuring site stability.
• The litigation is linked to a dispute with Teamfluence, an Estonian company that sold a LinkedIn data-scraping extension and sued LinkedIn after its accounts were suspended; LinkedIn says Teamfluence violated data protection laws and its terms of service.
• Both lawsuits seek financial damages and injunctions to change LinkedIn’s data collection and disclosure practices, alleging violations of California privacy laws and the federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act.