LinkedIn will no longer let advertisers target users based on data from LinkedIn Groups in the European Union (EU).
This decision comes after complaints from civil society groups to the European Commission (EC) about possible breaches of the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The DSA, which took effect in February, sets rules for online content, including transparency in algorithms and advertising targeting.
LinkedIn says it complies with these rules but has removed the group data feature to avoid any misunderstandings about using sensitive data.
Patrick Corrigan, LinkedIn’s Vice President for legal and digital safety, stated the change aims to prevent indirect targeting based on special data categories.
The European Commission will keep an eye on LinkedIn to ensure it follows the DSA. This move adds to Microsoft’s regulatory challenges in Europe, as the company, which owns LinkedIn, faces various regulatory issues.
This development is part of a larger trend of increased regulatory scrutiny, as seen with the recent classification of Temu as a “very large online platform” under DSA regulations.
