The policy prohibits advertisers from targeting LinkedIn members using sensitive data categories including health data, consumer health data, genetic data, biometric data, racial or ethnic origin, political affiliation, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, criminal record, trade union membership, and income. The prohibition applies to direct targeting on these attributes and extends to any categories defined as sensitive under applicable law.
This analysis describes what LinkedIn's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision requires advertisers to audit any audience segments, custom audiences, or third-party data sets used in LinkedIn campaigns to confirm they do not incorporate these prohibited categories. Because the prohibition extends to categories as defined by applicable law, the operational scope may vary across jurisdictions, including GDPR special categories in the EU and state-level sensitive data definitions in the US.
Interpretive note: The provision extends to categories defined by applicable law, which creates jurisdiction-dependent scope that cannot be fully determined from the document alone.
This provision establishes that LinkedIn members cannot be targeted by advertisers based on health information, biometric or genetic data, racial or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, income, or other enumerated sensitive categories. The agreement requires advertisers to comply with this restriction as a condition of platform access.
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"Ads must not target based on sensitive data or categories, including political affiliation or opinions, racial or ethnic origin, data concerning health (including medical information and consumer health data), genetic data, biometric data, religious or philosophical affiliation or beliefs, data relating to a criminal record or alleged or actual commission of a crime, sexual behavior or orientation, trade union membership, or income, or as otherwise defined by applicable law.— Excerpt from LinkedIn's LinkedIn Advertising Policies
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision directly engages GDPR Article 9 special categories of personal data (health, biometric, genetic, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, trade union membership) and extends to consumer health data as defined under frameworks including the Washington My Health MY Data Act and FTC Act enforcement guidance on health data. In the EU, the restriction interacts with GDPR lawful basis requirements for processing special category data for advertising purposes. The FTC is the primary US enforcement authority for deceptive or unfair data practices implicated by sensitive data advertising targeting. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High. Advertisers using lookalike audiences, third-party data, or behavioral segments derived from health-related browsing, financial distress signals, or demographic inference models may inadvertently incorporate prohibited sensitive data. The policy's extension to categories defined by applicable law creates a dynamic compliance obligation that expands as state and national data protection frameworks evolve. JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU and EEA advertisers face heightened exposure given GDPR Article 9 requirements. California advertisers must evaluate CCPA/CPRA sensitive personal information provisions. Illinois BIPA is implicated if biometric identifiers are used in audience targeting. Washington state health data regulations may apply to consumer health data segments. UK advertisers face UK GDPR equivalent obligations. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Advertisers relying on third-party data providers or demand-side platforms to build LinkedIn audiences must assess whether vendor data sets comply with this prohibition. Data processing agreements with third-party audience vendors should include representations that supplied segments do not incorporate prohibited sensitive categories. Standard DPA templates may not address LinkedIn's specific enumeration of prohibited categories. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should conduct a data mapping review of all audience segments deployed or planned for LinkedIn campaigns to verify no sensitive category data is incorporated. Consent mechanism audits should confirm that any first-party data used for custom audiences was collected with disclosures consistent with the sensitive data restrictions. Policy updates should be monitored given the provision's reference to categories defined by applicable law, which may expand obligations as new regulations take effect.
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This provision requires advertisers to audit any audience segments, custom audiences, or third-party data sets used in LinkedIn campaigns to confirm they do not incorporate these prohibited categories. Because the prohibition extends to categories as defined by applicable law, the operational scope may vary across jurisdictions, including GDPR special categories in the EU and state-level sensitive data definitions in the …
This provision establishes that LinkedIn members cannot be targeted by advertisers based on health information, biometric or genetic data, racial or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, income, or other enumerated sensitive categories. The agreement requires advertisers to comply with this restriction as a condition of platform access.
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