Facebook, LinkedIn remain in privacy suit while Zoom dismissed

Zoom Video Communications was voluntarily dismissed from a privacy class action, for now, after the company said it was unaware third-party apps were collecting and selling data to advertisers.

Zoom was dismissed without prejudice Tuesday by plaintiff Todd Hurvitz. Last month, Hurvitz's lawyers Scott R. Drury, Mike Kanovitz and David B. Owens of Chicago-based Loevy & Loevy filed the proposed class action in Central District of California against the popular videoconferencing platform, along with Facebook and LinkedIn. The class action accused Zoom of selling data to third-parties without user knowledge and consent.

Counsel proceeded with an amended suit, proceeding with their claims against Facebook and LinkedIn. The new complaint said Zoom recently announced it only added the "Login with Facebook Feature" to make it convenient for users to access the platform but didn't know about Facebook's actions to collect electronic communications from users. Hurvitz v. Facebook, LinkedIn, 2:20-CV-03400 (C.D. Cal., filed May 12, 2020)

LinkedIn did the same thing through Zoom's Navigator API platform which made it easy for users to access it, the complaint states.

Both defendants used deceptive tactics and without consent, collected increasingly detailed profiles on users by targeting advertisements, the complaint states.

Representatives for Facebook could not be reached for comment Tuesday. LinkedIn spokesperson MK Juric said the allegations against the company were baseless.

Hurvitz's was the first privacy class action to name Facebook and LinkedIn as defendants amid the slew of lawsuits filed against Zoom in the last two months. The wave of Zoom lawsuits came as stay-home orders forced millions of people to rely on teleconferencing for work and socializing.

-- Gina Kim