hiQ Labs Launches CrowdJustice Campaign in Support of Landmark Lawsuit Against LinkedIn Over Access to the Publicly Available Internet

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- hiQ Labs, the start-up data analytics company waging a landmark legal battle against LinkedIn over access to publicly available information on the Internet, today announced that it is utilizing CrowdJustice to launch a fundraising effort in support of the litigation.

hiQ's CrowdJustice site can be found at: crowdjustice.com/case/hiq

hiQ's CrowdJustice campaign seeks to fund litigation costs, including the cost of its current appeal to the 9^th Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals. In August, hiQ Labs won a preliminary injunction in federal court to prevent Microsoft-owned LinkedIn from threatening criminal prosecution if hiQ continued to view publicly available member profiles. hiQ uses this information to provide analysis and insight to businesses that want to retain key employees and optimize talent. Significantly, hiQ only uses information from profiles that LinkedIn members themselves have decided to display publicly. hiQ doesn't republish the information or sell raw data to third parties, and—despite LinkedIn's allegations—doesn't alert employers whenever a LinkedIn member makes a change to a profile.

hiQ Labs has 13 employees and was founded in 2012. Microsoft acquired LinkedIn, which has more than 8,000 employees, for $26.2 billion in 2016.

"This is a David versus Goliath case if there ever was one, and David just got himself a bigger slingshot," said Mark Weidick, CEO of hiQ Labs. "Since the federal district court ruled in our favor in August, we've been amazed and heartened at the outpouring of support. So many people have asked us how they can help, we've decided to create this new vehicle to harness this energy and help defer the costs of our defense of Internet access, free speech and fair competition."

"Our needs are great, but our goals with this particular campaign are modest," Mr. Weidick said. "We're looking to raise just $100,000 in this initial push to help fund our response to LinkedIn's appeal. But we firmly believe the value of this effort goes far beyond the actual funding. So many have expressed belief in our cause that we wanted to offer a way for them to come together, to join the cause and to take action."

CrowdJustice is a crowdfunding platform that was founded to increase access to the legal system. The site enables individuals to come together to fund legal action, particularly where issues of public interest are at stake. Since its founding, CrowdJustice has raised more than $4 million (USD) to fund litigation in the UK and United States, including lawsuits relating to voting rights, the environment, immigration issues and discrimination. In recent months, the site has been involved in the fight against the Trump administration's travel ban and Brexit litigation in the U.K.

About hiQ Labs v. LinkedIn

On August 14, 2017, Judge Edward Chen of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted hiQ Labs' request for a Preliminary Injunction against LinkedIn to prevent LinkedIn from using legal or technological measures to restrict hiQ's access to publicly available LinkedIn profile information. Judge Chen rejected LinkedIn's attempt to cast hiQ's analysis of publicly available information from the LinkedIn website as a violation of a federal criminal statute. Specifically, the judge ruled "the Court is doubtful that the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) may be invoked by LinkedIn to punish hiQ for accessing publicly available data; the broad interpretation of the CFAA advocated by LinkedIn, if adopted, could profoundly impact open access to the Internet, a result that Congress could not have intended when it enacted the CFAA over three decades ago." The court also ruled that "hiQ has raised serious questions as to whether LinkedIn, in blocking hiQ's access to public data, possibly as a means to limiting competition, violates state law." 

It is hiQ's contention that LinkedIn is trying to force a smaller competitor out of business by illegal violating free speech and competition laws. Earlier this month, LinkedIn introduced its own "Talent Insights" product at an HR conference in Nashville that bears a remarkable resemblance to hiQ Labs product offerings.

Mr. Weidick said: "We understand LinkedIn wants to get into our business, and that's fine. But we believe LinkedIn is trying to illegally force us out so that they can have the business for themselves."

"It is important to understand that LinkedIn doesn't own the data contained in member profiles," Weidick added. "And despite their protests that they are only trying to protect the privacy of members, the federal court judge noted that LinkedIn's marketing materials indicate they are, right now, selling services to third parties based on LinkedIn profile information in its entirety—regardless of whether members have designated the information private."

Reacting to this revelation in court, the San Francisco Chronicle characterized LinkedIn as being "guilty of blatant hypocrisy" in it is efforts, claiming to protect member privacy while selling member data to third parties.

The appeal in hiQ Labs v. LinkedIn (Case No. 17-16783) is expected to be heard in early 2018.

About hiQ Labs, Inc.

hiQ Labs, Inc., based in San Francisco, is a tech startup that collects and analyzes public information to provide its clients—mostly large companies—with insights about their employees. The company offers two main products: Keeper, which analyzes which employees are at risk of leaving the company; and Skill Mapper, which shows the range of skills possessed by employees so that employers can optimize internal talent.

For more information, visit: www.hiqlabs.com

Media Contact:
Andrea M. Garcia
PRCG | Haggerty
[email protected] 
212.683.8100

SOURCE hiQ Labs

Related Links

http://www.hiqlabs.com