Custom Branding
LinkedIn just said that a lot will change in its Terms of Service in September 2025. This isn't just a normal change to the law. This is a big change in how the platform uses your data, especially when it comes to training AI and showing you ads that are more relevant to you. Hundreds of millions of professionals use LinkedIn to connect with others, get ahead in their careers, and keep up with the latest news in their field. They really need to get what these changes mean.
This guide will go into great detail about what the new terms mean for you. We'll talk about how Microsoft and LinkedIn plan to use your work data to make AI better, what this means for the ads you see, and what this means for your privacy. You will also find out what you can do with your data and how these rules are different from those of other major social media sites. You'll know for sure by the end if you should be worried about LinkedIn's new direction.
What are the new LinkedIn rules?
The update from September 2025 changes a lot of things, especially how ads and AI use data. For years, LinkedIn has used data to make things more personal. This update makes it official and expands the scope, making it clearer how your information fits into its technology ecosystem.
What you should know about the September 2025 update:
LinkedIn will use your information to make its ads better and teach its AI models. This is the main point of the update. These are the most important things to remember:
More training for AI: The new rules make it clear that you can share posts, articles, and comments with the public to help LinkedIn and Microsoft's AI technologies get better.
Better ad targeting: LinkedIn will show you ads that are more relevant to you by using more of the signals from what you do. This includes your skills, your connections, and how you use content.
The update: makes it easier for Microsoft and LinkedIn to share information, which makes it easier to get in touch with Microsoft. Microsoft can use your work information to make all of its products and services better because of this.
More on "Public" Data: The terms make it clearer which kinds of data are public and can be used to train AI and which kinds of data are private and should be handled with care.
Why should you use LinkedIn? More AI and ads that are specific to you:
LinkedIn is adding AI and better ad targeting for two main reasons: to stay ahead of the competition and to make the site more useful. Changes in the tech world happen because of AI. LinkedIn wants to improve its features by training its models on the high-quality professional data that its users give it. These could be better job suggestions, content feeds that are more useful, and better ways to meet new people.
LinkedIn can help businesses: get more out of their ads by helping them better target their audience. LinkedIn makes more money when it helps businesses reach certain groups of professionals. A lot of social media sites use this method to make money. LinkedIn is doing everything it can to stay the best place for professionals to connect.
How this update works with other Microsoft programs:
Microsoft bought LinkedIn in 2016, and since then, the two platforms have become more and more linked. This update is a new step in that relationship. Microsoft could improve a lot of its products by training its AI with LinkedIn data.
For instance, your work history and skills could help Microsoft 365 Copilot get better by teaching its AI assistant more about things that are important in your field. Using LinkedIn data could also help Microsoft Dynamics 365 get better. This is a set of business apps. The work you do on LinkedIn helps Microsoft make its tools smarter. After that, you can use those smarter tools on LinkedIn again. This is a strong response loop.
When LinkedIn uses AI, what does it do with your data? "AI" may look vague, but this is a major impact on how you use LinkedIn. The platform uses your data to run many features, such as the job alert you get and the content you have seen.
To teach AI and improve model:
The best part of the new policy is that it allows AI to learn from the information provided by you. When you write an article, you add a data point, comment on a news story, or change your job title. LinkedIn's AI models read this lesson to find out what is happening in the industry, how professionals talk to each other, and how various skills and job titles are connected. This training helps AI of LinkedIn to learn how to solve problems. For example, it can find out that a "Java developer" that makes sports has different skills from one that works in finance. The stage can add smart and better facilities because it has such a deep understanding.
Ads that are made just for you:
LinkedIn uses the information you give them to show you ads. The new terms make it clear that LinkedIn will look at what you like, share, and comment on to learn more about what you do for a living. This makes it easier for people who want to buy things to find you
For instance, if you often read posts about marketing automation, you might start seeing ads for software that does marketing on its own. If you get a "Project Management Professional (PMP)" certification, you might start seeing ads for more advanced project management classes. The goal is to make ads less annoying and more helpful for your job.
AI could, for instance, change the job and post suggestions you see. As a software engineer, you just started to like reading about green coding and technology that is good for the environment. LinkedIn's AI will see that you are interested in this. This is how it could change how you feel.
Your Feed: The algorithm will start to show you more posts from well-known people in the field or articles from companies that work in environmental technology.
Job Suggestions: The "Jobs" tab could start to show jobs like "Green Tech Software Developer" or jobs at companies that are known for trying to be more eco-friendly.
LinkedIn might suggest that you connect with people who work in renewable energy or have "sustainability" as a skill.
AI works in the background to make sure that the whole platform works with your changing professional identity. This makes the experience more personal and maybe more useful.
What does this change mean for users' privacy?
As more data is collected, privacy is becoming a bigger concern. The new Terms of Service try to fix this by being more clear about what data is used and how.
What kinds of data do Microsoft and LinkedIn collect?
You should know the difference between public and private data. The main source of data for broad AI training is what you do in public. This includes: Your name, headline, summary, work history, and education are all part of your public profile.
Things you say, write, and post online for everyone to see.
Likes and shares on things that everyone can see
Your private information is safer.This includes:
◈ Private messages.
◈ Job applications.
Things you don't share with others, like drafts of posts.
Microsoft's access works the same way. It can teach models on public data that has been combined and made anonymous, but it can't see or control what you do or say in private messages.
Can LinkedIn read messages that aren't public?
(putting an end to rumours)
A lot of people are scared of this, but LinkedIn's rules are clear: the site does not look at the content of your private messages to target ads or train its general AI model. People see your direct messages as private messages. LinkedIn, like any other site, can look at the metadata of messages to find spam or bad behaviour to keep users safe. There are security measures in place, so even if no one is reading your DMs, they are still there.
Clear rules for targeting ads
LinkedIn has tried to be more open about why you see some ads. To see a list of the targeting criteria, click the three dots on a sponsored post and choose "Why am I seeing this ad?" This could mean that your job title, industry, company size, or skills were used to find you. This isn't a new feature, but it's a big part of what the platform says it will be open about.
◉ To get to these choices, do this:
To get to "Settings & Privacy," click on your profile picture ("Me") in the top right corner.
◉ Click on "Advertising data."
Here are a lot of things you can do:
Profile information for customising ads: You can stop advertisers from using your job title, education, and other profile information to show you ads.
Ad choices and interests: You can see what LinkedIn thinks your interests are and change them.
LinkedIn can show you ads based on information from its partners, but you can choose not to see them.
What LinkedIn still gathers even if you don't want it to?
LinkedIn will still keep track of what you do on the site, even if you change all of your ad settings. If you don't want to take part, the information can't be used to make ads that are more useful to you. You will still see ads, but they won't be based on what you like or who you are. You also can't stop the platform from using your public data to train its AI models because this is now a big part of the service.
If you're worried about your privacy, here are some other things you can do:
You have a few choices if you don't like the new terms:
Limit what you do in public: Be more careful about what you share and post in public. LinkedIn is not a social network; it's more like a digital resume. Use a "lite" profile: Keep it simple and only include the information that makes you look like a professional.
Use a "lite" profile: Keep it simple and only include the information that makes you look like a professional.
Close your account: If you don't like the way LinkedIn handles your data, the only thing you can do is close your account.
What sets this move apart from LinkedIn and other sites?
The new LinkedIn rules may seem harsh, but they are mostly in line with what is going on in the tech industry as a whole.
Looking into the ad rules for Meta, Google, and X (Twitter)
Meta (Facebook and Instagram): For a long time, Meta has used user-generated content to teach its AI and make ads more useful for each user. It might get more information because it uses the Meta Pixel to track what people do on and off the platform.
Google:Google uses information from its services, like your search history and the videos you watch on YouTube, to run its AI and ad network. No one else can get this much data.
X (formerly Twitter):The new owners of X have also changed the rules to make it clear that public data can be used to train its AI models. In this case, LinkedIn's move isn't as crazy as it seems; it's more in line with what other companies are doing. LinkedIn is different from other social media sites because people write about their jobs and careers there. This is a great place to learn about AI for work and business.
Why professionals should pay attention
LinkedIn is different from other sites because it only collects information about work. The information you get from this data can have a direct impact on your career, such as the jobs you see and the chances you have to advance in your field. If you don't set up an AI right, it might show you job openings that aren't right for you or get your skills wrong. That's why it's probably more important to know and control your LinkedIn data than your data on any other social media site.
LinkedIn's Terms of Service: Questions and Answers
Will LinkedIn give my personal information to other people?
No. LinkedIn says it doesn't give your personal information to other businesses. It gives its advertising partners information to help them target ads, but it does this in a way that doesn't give them your raw data.
Does this change how recruiters look at job applications?
Your job applications are still private. Recruiters won't be able to see which jobs you've applied for if you don't share your profile using features like "Easy Apply". The AI updates are supposed to make the process of matching better. This could help recruiters find better job candidates and you find better job openings.
Is LinkedIn still a safe place for people who work?
Yes. You can still safely connect with other professionals on LinkedIn. The updates aren't about putting your account or personal information at risk. They're about how to use data to make the platform better. It's always important to keep your digital hygiene up by using a strong password and being careful about what you share.
Should you be worried or do something about it in the end?
There is a trade-off in the new LinkedIn Terms of Service. People are giving up their private information to help AI grow in exchange for a platform that is more intelligent and tailored to their needs. You shouldn't panic, but you should know what's going on.
Finding the right balance between privacy and new ideas
The tech industry is always looking for ways to use data to come up with new ideas without putting users' privacy at risk. It's clear that LinkedIn's new rules are a step towards the more creative end of the scale. People need to know about this trade-off and choose how much data sharing they are okay with.
Helpful tips for businesses and professionals
Check your privacy settings: Spend ten minutes going over your LinkedIn advertising and privacy settings and changing them to what you want. Set your profile to public: Be careful what you say in public. Your profile is your professional brand, so make sure it shows who you are. Companies should know that better ad targeting can help you reach your ideal customers more effectively, but they should also know that their customers value their privacy.
How to stay up to date on policy changes in the future
Like all tech companies, LinkedIn will keep changing its rules. Be on the lookout for emails and notifications on the site about changes that will happen soon. Another good way to keep track of your digital footprint is to check your privacy settings from time to time.