LinkedIn Sued for Reading Universal Clipboard Data

by

Microsoft's LinkedIn was sued yesterday for allegedly reading and diverting users' private information using the iOS clipboard.

microsoft owned linkedin reddit also accessing ios clipboard because why not 530459 2
The lawsuit filed in San Francisco federal court states that LinkedIn "secretly" read the clipboard "a lot," without notifying the user, according to Reuters. The complaint also claims that LinkedIn has been gathering clipboard information from nearby Apple devices through the Universal Clipboard feature, and has been circumventing Apple's Universal Clipboard timeout.

The lawsuit attempts to certify the complaint as class action based on alleged violation of the law or social norms, under California laws. Last week, LinkedIn claimed that the clipboard copying behavior is a bug and is not an intended operation. A VP at LinkedIn commented that the contents of the clipboard are not stored or transmitted, and that a fix for the issue will soon be available.

iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 include a new privacy banner feature that informs users when an app pastes from the clipboard. Other apps, such as TikTok, Twitter, Starbucks, Overstock, AccuWeather, and more, have also been caught snooping on user clipboards for no clear reason, but this is the first legal case of its kind related to clipboard spying.

Tag: LinkedIn

Top Rated Comments

CausticSoda Avatar
CausticSoda
12 months ago
Good! I hope they are all taken to the cleaners.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MaSx Avatar
MaSx
12 months ago
This is what we found so far. Imagine what else they have been doing?

Users should have more choices and options into what the app can access. Apple needs to make a "Temporary" access option or "allow while using" or some sort of timer setting for Photo/Camera/Mic/Contacts, etc. This is going out of hand.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
amartinez1660 Avatar
amartinez1660
12 months ago
I just learned with this article that LinkedIn is Microsoft’s! Had no clue.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
imnotthewalrus Avatar
imnotthewalrus
12 months ago
I personally was always a little suspicious of LinkedIn. I quit using the app years ago, but would continue to get "invites" from friends who, after i asked them about it, said they had never sent one to me. The "bug" argument, however, with a good lawyer could get them off the hook. Just IMO but it seems like justice anymore is subject to the highest bidder.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kenni417 Avatar
kenni417
12 months ago
oh boy, here we go ...
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Optheduim Avatar
Optheduim
12 months ago
Holy Cow!! Way to go LinkedIn, so nice to have steal my words for your own gain.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Top Stories

iphone12protriplelenscamera

Apple's Orders for Key iPhone 13 Camera Component Expected to Outstrip Entire Android Market

Wednesday June 9, 2021 12:47 am PDT by
Major camera upgrades coming to the iPhone 13 series are putting increased pressure on suppliers to meet Apple's demand for key lens components, according to a new DigiTimes report. Apple has reportedly put Taiwan-based makers of voice coil motor (VCM) components on notice to increase their capacity by 30-40% in order to meet the company's demand, which is expected to outstrip the entire...
Read Full Article • 23 comments
macos monterey setup assistant

macOS Monterey Allows You to Erase a Mac Without Needing to Reinstall the Operating System

Wednesday June 9, 2021 4:41 pm PDT by
It's been a few days since Apple announced macOS Monterey, and we continue to dig through new features that weren't mentioned during the WWDC keynote, including a much more convenient way of erasing a Mac. Following in the footsteps of the iPhone and iPad, the Mac has gained an "Erase All Content and Settings" option on macOS Monterey. The option allows you to erase all user data and...
Read Full Article • 160 comments
EEC Apple iphone 13

Apple Registers iPhone 13 Models in Eurasia Ahead of September Launch

Friday June 11, 2021 2:16 am PDT by
Nashville Chatter Class has discovered a new Russian-language regulatory filing in the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) database pointing towards several unreleased iPhone 13 models that Apple will be launching in the fall. Versions of iPhone running iOS 14 are listed with the model numbers A2628, A2630, A2634, A2635, A2640, A2643, and A2645. None of the numbers correspond to Apple's...
Read Full Article • 58 comments
Dark Sky App Featured

Dark Sky iOS App, Website, and API Now Scheduled to Remain Available Until End of 2022

Thursday June 10, 2021 7:34 am PDT by
Last year, Apple acquired the weather app Dark Sky, and shortly after its purchase, Apple shut down the app for Android. Despite the revamped iOS 15 Weather app taking heavy inspiration from Dark Sky, the weather's app standalone iOS app, web app, and API will remain available until the end of next year, compared to the end of this year, as previously planned. Dark Sky announced in an update ...
Read Full Article • 80 comments
mr white ipod touch 5 protoype3

Unreleased iPod Touch 5 With Chamfered Edges and 30-Pin Dock Connector Shared Online

Thursday June 10, 2021 2:05 am PDT by
Occasional leaker Mr White has today shared interesting images on Twitter of what appears to be an old-school fifth-generation iPod touch prototype with chamfered edges and a brushed aluminum finish. The original iPod touch 5 that Apple released in October 2012 had a unibody anodized aluminum chassis with rounded edges, and was available in several colors, including slate. Another...
Read Full Article • 31 comments
live text macos monterey

Several macOS Monterey Features Unavailable on Intel-Based Macs

Wednesday June 9, 2021 8:23 am PDT by
While there are many great new features in macOS Monterey, several of them are not available on Intel-based Macs, according to Apple. On the macOS Monterey features page, fine print indicates that the following features require a Mac with the M1 chip, including any MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac model released since November 2020:Portrait Mode blurred backgrounds in...
Read Full Article • 761 comments
ipad mini 6

Next iPad Mini Will Allegedly Feature Thinner Bezels, USB-C Port, and Touch ID Power Button

Friday June 11, 2021 1:13 pm PDT by
On his newly launched Front Page Tech website, leaker Jon Prosser has shared renders showing off the alleged design of the next-generation iPad mini, which he says are based on schematics, CAD files, and real images of the device. In line with details shared earlier this month by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu, Prosser claims that the new iPad mini will feature slimmer bezels around...
Read Full Article • 143 comments
apple logo plain

Trump Administration Subpoenaed Apple for Data on Two House Intelligence Committee Democrats

Thursday June 10, 2021 6:21 pm PDT by
When investigating leaks of classified information during the early days of the Trump Administration, the United States Justice Department subpoenaed Apple for metadata from the accounts of at least two Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, reports The New York Times. Apple was also required to provide data from their aides and family members, with the DoJ requesting the records of...
Read Full Article • 263 comments
macos monterey tidbits feature copy

macOS Monterey Tidbits: Animated Memoji on Login Screen, Change the Color of the Mouse Pointer, and More

Friday June 11, 2021 10:27 am PDT by
We've highlighted several new features coming in macOS Monterey, such as Low Power Mode and the option to erase a Mac without reinstalling the operating system, but there are some smaller tidbits that we wanted to share. Animated Memoji on Login Screen One small but fun new feature in macOS Monterey is the addition of a personalized Memoji on the login screen, complete with animated facial...
Read Full Article • 69 comments
ios15 mail privacy feature

Apple Putting a Stop to Email Tracking Pixels With Mail Privacy Protection in iOS 15 and macOS Monterey

Thursday June 10, 2021 11:03 am PDT by
Tracking when you've opened up an email and what you've read is something that many companies and advertisers rely on for their marketing efforts, plus there are email clients out there designed to let users know when the emails they've sent have been opened up. Much of this tracking is facilitated by remote images that load when viewing an email, and some of it is even sneakier, with...
Read Full Article • 148 comments