LinkedIn Learning

Overview

LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is an online professional development platform offering video courses across business, technology, and creative skills. When embedded on third-party websites, it delivers course players, learning path widgets, and progress tracking interfaces. It appears on corporate intranets, LMS platforms, and partner websites that integrate LinkedIn Learning content for their users.

What This Script Does

LinkedIn Learning embeds load scripts from *.linkedin.com and *.lynda.com domains. These scripts render video players, course catalog browsers, and learning progress interfaces within the host page. The integration authenticates learners through LinkedIn's OAuth flow or via SAML-based enterprise single sign-on.

Cookies set by the integration include:

• Session authentication cookies under the linkedin.com domain to maintain the learner's login state
• Progress tracking cookies that record course completion status, video playback position, and learning path advancement
• li_at — LinkedIn's primary authentication cookie, used if the learner authenticates via their LinkedIn account
• JSESSIONID — a standard Java session identifier for server-side session management

Network requests go to LinkedIn's API endpoints to fetch course metadata, stream video content, and report progress events (video started, video completed, quiz answered). These requests include the authenticated user's LinkedIn identifier and organizational context.

While LinkedIn Learning itself is a functional tool, the scripts load within LinkedIn's broader platform infrastructure, which means some LinkedIn platform cookies may be set alongside the learning-specific ones. However, the learning integration does not fire advertising pixels or build retargeting audiences.

Consent & Compliance

LinkedIn Learning is classified as functional. It delivers educational content that the user or their organization has subscribed to. It is not an advertising or analytics tool.

Under the GDPR, the data processing for LinkedIn Learning is typically covered by the organization's enterprise agreement with LinkedIn. The legal basis is usually contract performance (the employer providing professional development tools) or legitimate interest. Individual user consent via a cookie banner is generally not required for the core learning functionality, though the LinkedIn platform cookies that accompany the integration may warrant disclosure.

Under the ePrivacy Directive, the authentication and session cookies are strictly necessary for the service the user has requested (accessing learning content). However, if additional LinkedIn platform cookies are set beyond what is needed for the learning feature, those may require consent under Article 5(3).

Under CCPA/CPRA, LinkedIn Learning does not sell or share personal information for advertising purposes. Learning progress data is processed under LinkedIn's service provider role within the enterprise agreement.

Should You Block This Without Consent?

No. LinkedIn Learning is a functional educational tool whose cookies serve authentication and progress tracking for a service the user has actively engaged with. It does not perform advertising or cross-site behavioral tracking. If LinkedIn platform cookies beyond the learning scope are a concern, consider loading the integration only after functional consent is granted.