July 14 (Reuters) - Business social network LinkedIn has

agreed to make temporary changes to its contracting practices to

settle a lawsuit by U.S. users who claimed it schemed to prevent

potential rivals from entering the market.

The preliminary class action settlement, which does not

include a financial payment, was filed on Friday in the federal

court in San Francisco and requires a judge's approval.

LinkedIn was accused in the 2022 lawsuit of illegally

fashioning some business contracts to bar third-parties from

competing with the company, allowing it to overcharge for

premium services and upgraded account features.

The plaintiffs said LinkedIn, now owned by Microsoft ( MSFT )

, was "effectively paying potential competitors not to

enter the market."

LinkedIn did not immediately respond to a request for

comment. Microsoft ( MSFT ) was not a defendant. LinkedIn denied any

wrongdoing.

The plaintiffs' lawyers declined to comment.

Under the terms of the deal, LinkedIn said for three years

it will not enforce provisions in current or future contracts

for "application programming interfaces" that would restrict a

third-party potential rival from competing.

The contracts at issue in the lawsuit allowed LinkedIn

business partners to access private user data "in exchange for

restraints against competing with LinkedIn," according to the

settlement filing.

The plaintiffs said the pause would allow potential rivals

to compete more effectively, facilitate reduced prices and

increase consumer choice.

There are about 9 million people in the settlement class,

which includes LinkedIn members who purchased LinkedIn Premium

services between January 13, 2018, and the present, according to

the settlement.

Members of the class can opt out of the settlement to sue

individually for alleged damages, the settlement said.

The plaintiffs said they planned to present expert testimony

at the time of final approval to show the overall value of the

settlement, since there is no money being paid to LinkedIn

users.

The plaintiffs' lawyers said they would seek up to $4

million in legal fees.

The case is Todd Crowder et al v. LinkedIn Corp, U.S.

District Court, Northern District of California, No.

4:22-cv-00237-HSG.

For plaintiffs: Yavar Bathaee and Brian Dunne of Bathaee

Dunne; Christopher Burke of Burke LLP; and Carol O'Keefe of

Korein Tillery

For defendant: Russell Cohen and Julia Chapman of Dechert