Is LinkedIn losing its credibility

Introduction

I am sure that I am not alone when I say that there has been a noticeable decrease in the LinkedIn experience, and I believe that the three main causes of it are the poor quality of the content posted, a frustrating spam problem, and Main Character Syndrome. 

 

LinkedIn has received backlash for transitioning from a platform primarily focused on professional networking to one resembling a social media site. Users have voiced concerns regarding the declining quality of content, along with a noticeable uptick in spam and self-promotional posts. I've observed a significant rise in the volume of "motivational" and "inspirational" posts flooding social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn. Sadly, many of these stories seem exaggerated or entirely fabricated, aimed solely at garnering engagement. They lack authenticity and fail to genuinely inspire individuals to enhance their productivity, work ethic, or empathy. Personally, the only motivation I find in such moments is when I catch myself wondering, "Why am I even on LinkedIn?" and promptly return to focusing on my tasks at hand. 

The truth is, With 930 million people, it's not a social network. It's a social marketplace. Anytime something is free, like LinkedIn, you're the product. Your part of what they're selling. That's why LinkedIn is a social marketplace.

LinkedIn is the modern-day yellow pages. Businesses used to pay a premium to advertise in the yellow pages to have a bigger presence. Fast forward to today, and that's all LinkedIn is. So, you're the product. 

CASE STUDY OF FRAUD IN LINKEDIN: 

One real incident of a fake job offer happened in 2019, when a woman in the UK received an email from someone claiming to be a recruiter from a well-known company. The email offered her a job as a personal assistant with a salary of over £50,000 a year, plus benefits. The woman was excited about the opportunity and replied to the email expressing her interest. 

The scammer then asked the woman to complete a "trial period" by carrying out tasks such as booking flights and hotels, arranging meetings and organizing events. The woman completed these tasks diligently and sent the scammer regular updates. After the trial period, the scammer informed her that she had been successful and offered her the job.

However, the scammer then requested that the woman pay for her own visa application fees and travel expenses, promising to reimburse her once she started the job. The woman paid the fees and sent the receipts to the scammer, but never received the promised reimbursement. The scammer stopped responding to her emails and the woman realized she had been scammed. 

To address LinkedIn's challenges and improve its platform, several solutions could be considered: 

• Enhance Content Moderation
• Improve Job Posting Quality
• Invest in User Education
• Strengthen Data Privacy and Security

However, the nature of engagement on the platform has changed, with users focusing more on self-promotion and less on building relationships. This has led to a decrease in the quality of networking and a shift towards a more transactional approach. Despite these challenges, LinkedIn remains a valuable tool for professionals, particularly in the B2B space, and continues to innovate with features such as LinkedIn Stories and video content. 

References

1. https://at.linkedin.com/in/regbutterfield?trk=article-ssr-frontend-pulse_publisher-author-card 
2. https://www.workitdaily.com/u/jennaarcand 
3. https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderspayne?trk=article-ssr-frontend-pulse_publisher-author-card