A prominent data protection advocacy group has filed a formal complaint in Austria against LinkedIn over alleged sales and handling of user data.

The Vienna-based privacy organisation Noyb — short for “None of Your Business” — lodged the complaint with the Austrian Data Protection Authority on behalf of a LinkedIn user seeking full access to his personal data.

According to the group, the user is demanding a complete response to his access request, arguing that individuals have the right to obtain their personal data without charge. Noyb is also requesting that authorities impose a fine on the Microsoft-owned professional networking platform.

Noyb alleged that LinkedIn has cited data protection concerns as a reason for not fully complying with access requests from users. However, the group criticised what it described as a contradiction in the company’s approach.

The organisation claimed that while LinkedIn limits certain data access, it encourages users to subscribe to its paid premium membership to see details such as who has viewed their profile pages.

“People have the right to receive their own data free of charge,” said Noyb data protection lawyer Martin Baumann, stressing that transparency is a core principle of European data protection laws.

The group further questioned the legality of LinkedIn’s visitor tracking practices, noting that it remains unclear whether proper consent is obtained from users before such data is processed.

Noyb has been active in filing legal challenges against major technology firms since 2018, following the introduction of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a landmark framework designed to strengthen individuals’ control over their personal information and how companies use it.

Regulatory authorities in Austria are expected to review the complaint and determine whether LinkedIn has breached applicable data protection rules.