LinkedIn Hidden Code Secretly Scans Users’ Computers for Installed Software

Fairlinked e.V.’s “BrowserGate” investigation alleges LinkedIn operates a covert surveillance system that scans users’ browsers to identify installed software and extensions (reportedly tracking thousands of third‑party tools), links that data to real identities and employers, and uses it for corporate espionage and enforcement while concealing activity from EU regulators; the report cites hidden APIs, zero‑pixel trackers, fingerprinting scripts, and potential violations of EU privacy law.