Can you see who someone is connected to on LinkedIn?
No, it is not possible to see the full list of someone’s LinkedIn connections unless they choose to make that information public. LinkedIn gives users control over the visibility of their connections. The default setting hides a user’s connections from people who are not directly connected to them on LinkedIn.
There are three main connection visibility settings on LinkedIn:
Public
If a LinkedIn user sets their connections to public, anyone will be able to see their full list of connections by visiting their profile. This allows for complete transparency but sacrifices some privacy.
Connections only
This is LinkedIn’s default setting. With this option, only 1st degree connections will be able to see the full connections list. 2nd and 3rd degree connections as well as the general public will only see limited information like total number of connections.
Private
With this most restrictive option, the user’s connections are completely private and no one else will be able to see any information about them at all. Not even 1st degree connections can view the list.
So in summary, it is not possible to see someone’s full LinkedIn connections list unless they have chosen to make it public. The default and recommended setting on LinkedIn is to make connections visible only to 1st degree connections for the sake of privacy and security.
What LinkedIn connection information is visible by default?
If someone has not specifically changed their LinkedIn connections setting from the default “Connections only” option, here is the connection information that different people will be able to see:
1st Degree Connections
– Full list of all connections
– How you are connected (e.g. colleague, classmate, etc)
2nd Degree Connections
– Total number of connections
– How many connections you share in common
– List of shared connections by name
Everyone Else
– Total number of connections
So in summary, the most sensitive information like the full connections list is only visible to direct connections. More distant connections and the general public will only see limited data like total number of connections.
Can premium LinkedIn members see more connection info?
Having a premium LinkedIn account through LinkedIn Premium or Sales Navigator does not give additional access to someone’s connections list or data beyond what is available to other users based on visibility settings and direct connection status.
The premium account upgrades provide other benefits like being able to view more profiles, send unlimited messages, see full profiles of people who viewed yours, and additional search filters. But they do not override individual users’ connection privacy settings.
So having a paid LinkedIn account still does not allow you to view a full connections list if you are not directly connected to that person and they have not made the list public. The premium features focus more on expanding your own connections and visibility rather than accessing more data about others’ networks.
Can I see who viewed my LinkedIn profile?
LinkedIn does collect data on who has visited your profile page, but it only displays limited information about profile viewers, even to paid account holders. Here is what you can see about who viewed your profile:
Free Account Users
– Total number of times your profile was viewed in past 90 days
– Industry and location of viewers in aggregate
Premium Account Users
– Same information as free account
– Photos and additional info of some viewers who are 2nd or 3rd degree connections
– Option to view more extended profiles of some viewers
So the data is limited for privacy reasons. You will not see a full list of every person who viewed your profile. Premium account holders get more details like being able to identify some viewers within their extended network, but full profile viewer transparency is not available.
Should I change my LinkedIn connections to public?
Here are some pros and cons to weigh when considering whether to make your LinkedIn connections public:
Pros
– Shows off the size and breadth of your network
– Allows new connections to identify mutual contacts
– Demonstrates you have nothing to hide
Cons
– Loss of privacy and control over who can see your contacts
– Open to misuse of your connections data
– Some connections may not want to be publicly associated
Risks
– Spam messages sent to connections
– Connections poached by competitors
– Connections used as sales leads without consent
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Shows off network size/breadth | Loss of privacy |
Allows identifying mutual contacts | Risk of misuse of connections data |
Demonstrates openness | Some connections may not want to be public |
In summary, the risks often outweigh the benefits of making your LinkedIn connections fully public. The default “Connections only” setting balances showing off the size of your network while maintaining professional privacy.
Conclusion
Due to LinkedIn’s privacy settings, it is not possible to see someone’s full list of connections unless they intentionally make it public. 2nd degree connections and the general public will only see limited data like total number of connections. Even premium account features do not allow you to view full connections lists if you are not a 1st degree contact. While making your own list public has some benefits, it also carries privacy risks that likely outweigh the advantages. The default connections visibility option balances showing off network size and maintaining professional privacy.