elle1d ago

since that browsergate site about LinkedIn seems to be gaining traction I figure I should mention:

  • yes, LinkedIn does do what's being claimed (though, it's that it probes for specific extensions you're running, using features in chrome's API - it doesn't "search your computer")
  • it does seem to have been doing this since at least as far back as 2017, and there has been intermittent reporting on it over the years
  • I'm fairly confident the copy on the site was generated by (or at least went through) an LLM, so idk that this site is the best way to spread the issue around

edit: and as someone else noted in the replies, looking through the list of extensions of scans for... they're pretty much all "AI"/scraper/automation plugins. so, should LinkedIn be doing this, or even able to do this in Chrome? no! but also, it does seem like the stuff they're scanning for is all extensions that shouldn't exist to begin with tbh

edit 2: please see this follow-up post which proves this is just a shitty campaign by people who made an addon called "Teamfluence" that got blocked by LinkedIn

GitHub - dandrews/nefarious-linkedin: :shipit: A look at how LinkedIn spies on its users.

:shipit: A look at how LinkedIn spies on its users. - dandrews/nefarious-linkedin

GitHub
Show threadelle6h ago

ok, quick follow-up screenshots to show that:

  • Those behind browsergate.eu and fairlinked.eu are in fact the same people behind "Teamfluence", the scraper/automation/etc addon company listed as bringing the lawsuit against LinkedIn

  • Teamfluence was also the company mentioned and (poorly) redacted in the legal docs browsergate.eu offers up with the quotes from a LinkedIn engineer

So basically, Teamfluence was scraping data from LinkedIn, got blocked for it, and now are trying to get this trumped-up campaign going to [checks notes] try to be able to automate scraping vacuuming up peoples' LinkedIn data again. I'm no fan of Microsoft or LinkedIn, but the purpose of their detection methods here seem to be preventing addons like Teamfluence which harm both them and LinkedIn's users

(note: I was drafting this last night, but was looking for more info still - credit to William O'Connell on bsky for discovering and posting the screenshot of the court document that is now the 4th screenshot in this post)

Elizabeth  4h ago
Show threadApicultor 🐝

@vantiss
If LinkedIn is doing what is claimed, who's blowing the whistle is irrelevant; it's despicable and needs to be called out.

And it sure looks like they are indeed doing as was claimed.

5:47pmWeb
Show threadMs. Rachel Andry (Isn't Real)6h ago
@apicultor imagine proudly posting the equivalent of "I've fallen for propaganda" and believing that you're good and right
Show threadsocial elephant in the room6h ago
@YKantRachelRead @apicultor ok, perhaps I fell for it too. but I don't see what business linkedin have scanning for 6000 possible chrome extensions linked to the the identity of someone. And if it is illegal under GPRD, it is illegal. So I side with the other comment saying the source is irrelevant (even if it not disinterested)
Show threadNemo2h ago

@tseitr
I think that's right. I don't see much merit in Microsoft having exclusive access to a trove of data instead of another parasite. It's not like they respect other sites when scraping the web.

I see no merit in allowing Microsoft to scan computers for the privilege.

@YKantRachelRead @apicultor

Show threadlez-anya1h ago

@iinavpov @tseitr @YKantRachelRead @apicultor nobody is defending Microsoft when they point out that the company currently complaining that Microsoft/LinkedIn are scraping data is also a datamining company.

It is possible to be against both sides in this case.

Show threadlez-anya6h ago

@apicultor @vantiss who is blowing the whistle, and why, is always relevant.

Especially if the who and why is "AI dataminers because they want more access to your data"

All parties involved in this are in the wrong.