LinkedIn is a popular social media platform used by professionals and companies to network, share content, and find jobs. With over 800 million members, LinkedIn has become an invaluable tool for establishing connections and furthering careers. However, some users have concerns about how much of their personal information is shared on LinkedIn without their knowledge or consent.
What information does LinkedIn collect?
When you create a LinkedIn profile, you provide a significant amount of personal information including:
- Full name
- Email address
- Job history
- Education
- Skills
- Photo
- Location
- Industry
This information allows LinkedIn to build a comprehensive profile of you, your work history, skills, education and professional connections.
Additionally, LinkedIn collects data on your activity on the platform including:
- Pages you visit
- Content you view
- Jobs you view or apply for
- Ads you click on
- Groups you join
- People you connect with
- Posts and comments you make
This allows them to analyze how you use LinkedIn to improve the platform and target advertising.
Does LinkedIn share my personal information?
Yes, LinkedIn does share user data in some circumstances:
- Advertisers: LinkedIn allows advertisers to target users based on data like job title, employer, skills, etc. However, they do not share contact information without consent.
- LinkedIn applications: If you grant permission to a third-party LinkedIn application, it may access profile data you authorize.
- Group admins: If you join a LinkedIn Group, the admin can see your name, photo, job title and which subgroups you join.
- Premium account buyers: Users who purchase a LinkedIn recruiter seat can view full profiles of non-connected members but cannot see contact info.
- Public profiles: Anyone can see your name, photo, job title and public profile information.
However, LinkedIn states that they do not sell personal data to third parties without consent. Their privacy policy also notes that they only share information with:
- Affiliated companies to provide LinkedIn services
- Service providers under contract who help deliver LinkedIn
- Legal and government entities as required by law
- Companies you authorize LinkedIn to share your data with
What personal information does LinkedIn share publicly by default?
When you create a LinkedIn profile, certain information is shared publicly by default. This includes:
- Profile photo
- Name
- Headline (job title)
- Country/city location
- Industry
- Companies you worked for
- Schools you attended
Having a public profile allows anyone to view this information – it helps for networking andexposure. However, you can limit public access to your full profile and activity.
Does LinkedIn sell my data?
LinkedIn states that they do not sell personal member data to third parties. However, they do allow advertisers to target ads based on user information like job title, company, location, etc.
While advertisers can target LinkedIn audiences very specifically, LinkedIn does not provide them with direct access to user data or contact information without consent.
How can I control what information LinkedIn shares?
LinkedIn gives you options to limit data sharing:
- Profile visibility: Change your profile from public to private so only connections can view.
- Ad targeting: Opt out of interest-based ads targeting in account settings.
- Application permissions: Revoke access to any third-party apps you connected.
- Groups: Leave any groups you don’t want admins seeing profile info.
- Sharing options: Turn off abilities to download your contacts or see who viewed your profile.
You can also turn on two-factor authentication for account security.
Conclusion
While LinkedIn does share some user data, it is reasonably limited and often requires consent through things like ad targeting, third-party apps or public profiles. LinkedIn relies on member trust to maintain its reputation as a networking platform.
By using the available privacy controls, you can limit sharing of your personal information and restrict access as needed to feel more secure on LinkedIn. Just remember that a certain amount of public information is required for professional networking and exposure.
Information Type | Shared With |
---|---|
Full profile info | LinkedIn members you connect with |
Name, photo, headline, company | Public profiles |
Job title, industry | Targeted advertisers |
Profile activity, page visits | LinkedIn to improve platform |
Key Takeaways
- LinkedIn does share some user data like name, company, job title, and public profiles
- They do NOT sell personal member data directly to third parties
- You can limit data sharing with profile visibility, ad targeting, app permissions
- Keep an updated profile for networking exposure but limit public access if desired