{"id":12150,"date":"2024-08-12T06:35:37","date_gmt":"2024-08-12T10:35:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/?post_type=is-site-safe&#038;p=12150"},"modified":"2024-08-12T09:02:59","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T13:02:59","slug":"is-linkedin-safe","status":"publish","type":"is-site-safe","link":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/is-site-safe\/is-linkedin-safe\/","title":{"rendered":"Is LinkedIn Safe?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#what-is-linked-in\">What Is LinkedIn?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#is-linked-in-safe\">Is LinkedIn Safe?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#is-linked-in-private\">Is LinkedIn Private?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-to-improve-your-safety-and-privacy-on-linked-in\">How to Improve Your Safety and Privacy On LinkedIn<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you use or plan to use LinkedIn, you need to know: Is LinkedIn safe?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below, we explain whether LinkedIn is:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Safe to use.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Good for privacy.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We also look at some steps you can take to improve both your safety and privacy when using this social media platform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-linked-in\">What Is LinkedIn?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that allows individuals and businesses to connect, share information, and build professional relationships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"508\" src=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/unnamed-2024-08-12T113257.376-1024x508.png\" alt=\"LinkedIn\" class=\"wp-image-12151\" style=\"width:843px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/unnamed-2024-08-12T113257.376-1024x508.png 1024w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/unnamed-2024-08-12T113257.376-300x149.png 300w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/unnamed-2024-08-12T113257.376-768x381.png 768w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/unnamed-2024-08-12T113257.376-1536x761.png 1536w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/unnamed-2024-08-12T113257.376.png 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On LinkedIn, users can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Send and accept connection requests, expanding their professional network.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create detailed profiles showcasing their work experience, education, skills, and achievements, serving as a digital resume and helping others understand their professional background.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Share articles, updates, and multimedia content related to their industry to help professionals stay informed about trends and developments while showcasing their expertise.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>LinkedIn also offers a job search feature where users can find and apply for job openings. Employers also use LinkedIn to post job listings and recruit candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Businesses create company LinkedIn pages to share information about their products, services, and job openings. These pages also help companies engage with their audience and build their brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"is-linked-in-safe\">Is LinkedIn Safe?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally yes, but it depends on your definition of \u201csafe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LinkedIn uses encryption to protect user data, offers two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security to accounts, and regularly monitors accounts for suspicious activities, taking action against fake profiles and spam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The security company UpGuard gives LinkedIn a score of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.upguard.com\/security-report\/linkedin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">777 out of 950<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the issues flagged are that LinkedIn:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Does not enforce HTTP Strict Transport Security.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does not use HttpOnly cookies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is not found on the HSTS preload list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does not use a valid Certification Authority Authorization record.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Uses TLS 1.2 (which has weak cipher suites).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the years, LinkedIn has experienced several breaches.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2012, a hacker stole the account information of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vice.com\/en\/article\/78kk4z\/another-day-another-hack-117-million-linkedin-emails-and-password\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">117 million LinkedIn users<\/a> (the full extent of the hack only became apparent in 2016).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2021, data from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.computing.co.uk\/news\/4029510\/500-million-linkedin-details-sale-online\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">700 million LinkedIn users<\/a> (93% of its user base at the time) was posted for sale online. While LinkedIn stated that this was not a breach but rather data scraping from publicly available profiles, the data included sensitive information such as full names, email addresses, phone numbers, and other personal details.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few months earlier, data <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/leemathews\/2021\/06\/29\/details-on-700-million-linkedin-users-for-sale-on-notorious-hacking-forum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">from 500 million LinkedIn users<\/a> was leaked in a similar way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2023, LinkedIn experienced another significant security incident involving the unauthorized scraping of user data. This breach affected approximately <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twingate.com\/blog\/tips\/linkedin-data-breach\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">19.7 million LinkedIn accounts<\/a>, exposing personal information such as email addresses, geographic locations, job titles, names, professional skills, and social media profiles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LinkedIn is also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tripwire.com\/state-of-security\/a-guide-on-5-common-linkedin-scams\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">commonly impersonated<\/a> in phishing campaigns.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"is-linked-in-private\">Is LinkedIn Private?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, depends on your definition of \u201cprivate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LinkedIn is designed for professional networking, so complete privacy isn&#8217;t really built-in. However, it does offer a good range of privacy settings to help users control their information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, users can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Choose who can see what information on their profiles (for example, contact details).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Control whether to notify their network when they update their profile, make new connections, or follow companies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prevent their LinkedIn profile from appearing in search engine results.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Download their data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Manage what services have access to their LinkedIn information.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Manage how their data is shared with third-party applications and services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customize advertising preferences and opt out of personalized ads.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>LinkedIn has a detailed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/legal\/privacy-policy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">privacy policy<\/a> that outlines what data is collected and how it is used.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Terms of Service; Didn\u2019t Read (ToS;DR), a project that rates internet services\u2019 terms of service and privacy policies, gives LinkedIn a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/tosdr.org\/en\/service\/193\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Grade E<\/a>.\u201d This means \u201cThe terms of service raise very serious concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among the biggest concerns are that LinkedIn stores data on individuals who don&#8217;t interact with the service, users&#8217; identities are shown in ads to other users, private messages can be read, specific content can be deleted without any notice or reason, and the LinkedIn app requires broad permissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-improve-your-safety-and-privacy-on-linked-in\">How to Improve Your Safety and Privacy On LinkedIn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow the steps below for a <a href=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/blog\/lock-down-your-linkedin-privacy-settings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more private and secure experience on LinkedIn<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Adjust profile visibility. <\/strong>Go to your settings and select &#8220;Edit your public profile.&#8221; Choose what details can be viewed publicly, or set your profile to be visible to connections only.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enable private mode.<\/strong> When viewing other profiles, use LinkedIn\u2019s private mode to prevent them from knowing you visited their profile.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Control connection requests. <\/strong>Only accept connection requests from people you know or can verify. Decline requests from unknown or suspicious profiles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Manage activity broadcasts.<\/strong> Go to &#8220;Settings &amp; Privacy,&#8221; then &#8220;Visibility,&#8221; and adjust your activity broadcast settings to prevent your network from being notified when you update your profile, make new connections, or follow companies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Customize profile viewing options.<\/strong> Choose to browse in a private or semi-private mode where your industry and title are visible but not your name.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Restrict email visibility.<\/strong> Under &#8220;Settings &amp; Privacy,&#8221; go to &#8220;Visibilit&#8221; and then &#8220;Who can see your email address&#8221; to limit it to connections, no one, or specific groups.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Review connected apps. <\/strong>Under &#8220;Settings &amp; Privacy,&#8221; check &#8220;Permitted Services&#8221; to see which third-party apps have access to your LinkedIn data and remove any that are unnecessary.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Share essential details only.<\/strong> Avoid including sensitive personal information such as your phone number, home address, or birth date on your profile.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Opt-out of targeted ads. <\/strong>Under &#8220;Settings &amp; Privacy,&#8221; navigate to &#8220;Advertising data&#8221; and adjust your preferences to limit the use of your data for advertising purposes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Control search engine visibility.<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/blog\/how-to-remove-linkedin-from-google-search\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Remove LinkedIn from Google search<\/a>. Under &#8220;Settings &amp; Privacy,&#8221; go to &#8220;Visibility&#8221; and then &#8220;Visibility of your LinkedIn activity&#8221; and turn off &#8220;Profile discovery using email address&#8221; and &#8220;Profile discovery using phone number.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use strong passwords and 2FA. <\/strong>Ensure you have a strong, unique password for your LinkedIn account and enable 2FA for added security.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Be cautious with public posts. <\/strong>Be mindful of what you post, like, and comment on, as these activities can be visible to your network and beyond.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you use or plan to use LinkedIn, you need to know: Is LinkedIn safe?&nbsp; Below, we explain whether LinkedIn is:&nbsp; We also look at some steps you can take to improve both your safety and privacy when using this social media platform. What Is LinkedIn? LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that allows individuals [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":12151,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-12150","is-site-safe","type-is-site-safe","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/is-site-safe\/12150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/is-site-safe"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/is-site-safe"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12150"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/is-site-safe\/12150\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}