LinkedIn Privacy
I had the following email, which I’m sharing here, with the English tidied up a little.
LinkedIn’s privacy settings have changed, meaning your picture can be used for their social advertising.
This has been a blanket change, rather than opt in, so it’s worth letting others know as well.
LinkedIn obviously recognised the value of trust in business, hence using the images of people known to the advertisement target. I am surprised, however, that they haven’t seen the flip side of this and taken it to its logical conclusion. Creating a false trust can at best be short lived. In a business network which has previously been trustworthy, if a little staid (business and conservatism make good bedfellows), this could be very damaging to LinkedIn and individuals alike.
I’m disappointed that this is twice in one week that I’ve had good cause to write somewhat negative reports on a network that until very recently had more trust than the others.
I couldn’t see the point of business contenders like Viadeo – just more to manage – but LinkedIn could find itself with a serious challenger if it continues to abuse the trust of people who have been loyal to it for years by failing to consider the user as it grows.
The email:
I received the following message from a contact and I am forwarding it for your awareness and due consideration.
Without attracting too much publicity, LinkedIn has updated their privacy conditions. Without any action from your side, LinkedIn is now permitted to use your name and picture in any of their advertisements.
Some simple actions to be considered:
1. Place the cursor on your name at the top right corner of the screen. From the small pull down menu that appears, select “settings”
2. Then click “Account” on the left/bottom
3. In the column next to Account, select the option “Manage Social Advertising”
4. Finally un-tick the box “LinkedIn may use my name and photo in social advertising”
5. and SaveHow to inform your connections? Simple! Via ‘Inbox > Compose message’ in Linkedin, you can send a message to up to 50 connections at once, all of whom will appreciate being informed.

