'Our research suggests there are real risks associated with these sites': Experts say some job search platforms are stealing job seekers' personal data

Incogni report finds top job sites selling sensitive user data, often inadvertently
ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn and Monster Ranked Top for Collection and Sharing Practices
Millions of US job seekers are at risk, and only 7% express concern about privacy exposure

Almost all major job search sites sell their users’ sensitive data to third parties, and most of them don’t even know it.

A new report from Incogni surveyed 1,000 American workers using nine “leading job search, recruiting and professional networking platforms” and reviewed their privacy policies and legal disclosures.

It found that ZipRecruiter ranked highest in collecting and sharing personal information. Microsoft-owned LinkedIn and Monster took second and third place. Incogni also emphasized that Microsoft has faced regulatory fines and lawsuits over privacy-related issues in the past.

Users in the dark

At the same time, users either don’t know about it or don’t seem to be too concerned about it. More than a third (37%) of respondents believe that platforms only share user data with potential employees.

Nearly 50% said they simply browse privacy policies when uploading resumes, and 40% said they never delete the profiles they create on job search platforms. A quarter do not remember all the platforms that have their data and a third (34%) uploaded their data to more than two platforms.

This is a problem that affects millions of people in the United States alone, Incogni hinted. The company says 7.4 million Americans are currently unemployed and four in five (79.5%) job seekers rely on job search sites as an “essential resource.”

“It’s hard to focus on data privacy when you’re worried about putting food on the table, but our research suggests there are real risks associated with these sites,” said Darius Belejevas, director at Incogni.

“Only 7% of respondents expressed concern about sharing their personal information with job search platforms – that’s a shocking indictment of the lack of education about privacy risk in the US.”