{"id":1308017,"date":"2026-04-06T09:12:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T03:42:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/?p=1308017"},"modified":"2026-04-06T09:12:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T03:42:19","slug":"linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/","title":{"rendered":"Linkedin Caught Spying On Users Via Hidden Browser Scripts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Professional networking platform LinkedIn is facing fresh scrutiny after reports alleged that it may be <strong>tracking users through hidden browser scripts<\/strong>, sparking a wider debate around privacy and data transparency. The controversy, dubbed <strong>\u201cBrowserGate,\u201d<\/strong> stems from a cybersecurity investigation into how the platform collects user data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1-1024x576.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1308038\" srcset=\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is the \u201cBrowserGate\u201d Controversy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At the center of the issue is an investigation by Fairlinked e.V., which claims LinkedIn uses <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesnownews.com\/technology-science\/linkedin-accused-of-tracking-users-through-browesergate-scripts-all-you-need-to-know-article-154001476\"><strong>concealed JavaScript code<\/strong> <\/a>to monitor users\u2019 browsers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The report alleges that whenever a user opens LinkedIn, a script silently runs in the background and:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Scans for <strong>over 6,000 browser extensions<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Collects detailed <strong>device and system data<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Links this information to identifiable user profiles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This technique, known as <strong>browser fingerprinting<\/strong>, allows platforms to track users even without cookies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Data Is Being Collected?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to findings confirmed by cybersecurity researchers, the script gathers a wide range of device-level information, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>CPU performance and memory<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Screen resolution and language settings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Time zone and battery status<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Installed browser extensions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Individually, these data points seem harmless\u2014but combined, they can create a <strong>unique digital identity<\/strong> for each user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why This Raises Privacy Concerns<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The biggest concern is <strong>lack of transparency<\/strong>. Critics argue that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Users are <strong>not explicitly informed<\/strong> about this level of tracking<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The activity is <strong>not clearly disclosed<\/strong> in privacy policies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It could reveal <strong>sensitive personal or corporate insights<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Since LinkedIn profiles are tied to real identities and workplaces, experts warn this data could potentially expose:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tools used by companies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>User behavior and preferences<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Even competitive business intelligence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">LinkedIn\u2019s Response<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>LinkedIn has defended its actions, stating that such data collection is primarily used to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Detect <strong>bots and malicious activity<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prevent <strong>unauthorized data scraping<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maintain <strong>platform security and stability<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The company has also denied using this data to infer sensitive personal information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bigger Implications for Tech Industry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The controversy highlights a growing trend where major platforms rely on <strong>advanced tracking techniques beyond cookies<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While companies justify this as a security measure, privacy advocates argue it may cross ethical boundaries\u2014especially when users are unaware of how deeply their data is being analyzed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As regulators worldwide tighten data protection norms, the LinkedIn case could become a <strong>test for transparency and consent in digital platforms<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Professional networking platform LinkedIn is facing fresh scrutiny after reports alleged that it may be tracking users through hidden browser scripts, sparking a wider debate around privacy and data transparency. The controversy, dubbed \u201cBrowserGate,\u201d stems from a cybersecurity investigation into how the platform collects user data. What Is the \u201cBrowserGate\u201d Controversy? At the center of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":1308038,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[869],"class_list":["post-1308017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-linkedin"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Linkedin Caught Spying On Users Via Hidden Browser Scripts - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Linkedin Caught Spying On Users Via Hidden Browser Scripts - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Professional networking platform LinkedIn is facing fresh scrutiny after reports alleged that it may be tracking users through hidden browser scripts, sparking a wider debate around privacy and data transparency. The controversy, dubbed \u201cBrowserGate,\u201d stems from a cybersecurity investigation into how the platform collects user data. What Is the \u201cBrowserGate\u201d Controversy? At the center of [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-06T03:42:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-06T03:42:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mohul Ghosh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mohul Ghosh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/\",\"name\":\"Linkedin Caught Spying On Users Via Hidden Browser Scripts - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-06T03:42:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-06T03:42:19+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/5092a7d2906e3f3c819643435477c2a7\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1.jpeg\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":720},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Linkedin Caught Spying On Users Via Hidden Browser Scripts\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/\",\"name\":\"Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups\",\"description\":\"Trak.in is a popular Indian Business, Technology, Mobile &amp; Startup blog featuring trending News, views and analytical take on Technology, Business, Finance, Telecom, Mobile, startups &amp; Social Media Space\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/5092a7d2906e3f3c819643435477c2a7\",\"name\":\"Mohul Ghosh\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/66c129d83dd3f325a3b550eb1aa16891173ddfc4686361424206cd9a01311c89?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/66c129d83dd3f325a3b550eb1aa16891173ddfc4686361424206cd9a01311c89?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Mohul Ghosh\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/author\/mohul-ghosh\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Linkedin Caught Spying On Users Via Hidden Browser Scripts - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Linkedin Caught Spying On Users Via Hidden Browser Scripts - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups","og_description":"Professional networking platform LinkedIn is facing fresh scrutiny after reports alleged that it may be tracking users through hidden browser scripts, sparking a wider debate around privacy and data transparency. The controversy, dubbed \u201cBrowserGate,\u201d stems from a cybersecurity investigation into how the platform collects user data. What Is the \u201cBrowserGate\u201d Controversy? At the center of [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/","og_site_name":"Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups","article_published_time":"2026-04-06T03:42:06+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-06T03:42:19+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Mohul Ghosh","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mohul Ghosh","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/","url":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/","name":"Linkedin Caught Spying On Users Via Hidden Browser Scripts - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1.jpeg","datePublished":"2026-04-06T03:42:06+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-06T03:42:19+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/5092a7d2906e3f3c819643435477c2a7"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1.jpeg","width":1280,"height":720},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/linkedin-caught-spying-on-users-via-hidden-browser-scripts\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Linkedin Caught Spying On Users Via Hidden Browser Scripts"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/#website","url":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/","name":"Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups","description":"Trak.in is a popular Indian Business, Technology, Mobile &amp; Startup blog featuring trending News, views and analytical take on Technology, Business, Finance, Telecom, Mobile, startups &amp; Social Media Space","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/5092a7d2906e3f3c819643435477c2a7","name":"Mohul Ghosh","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/66c129d83dd3f325a3b550eb1aa16891173ddfc4686361424206cd9a01311c89?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/66c129d83dd3f325a3b550eb1aa16891173ddfc4686361424206cd9a01311c89?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Mohul Ghosh"},"url":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/author\/mohul-ghosh\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Untitled-design-19-1-2-1280x720-1.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1308017","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1308017"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1308017\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1308040,"href":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1308017\/revisions\/1308040"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1308038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1308017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1308017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1308017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}