LinkedIn Gone Wild: Invades Inboxes

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with IDTheftSecurity.com Inc

Did you know there is a setting on LinkedIn where they will email your entire contact list in your behalf to let everyone know about a new position you have taken with a company?

I didnt.

Until I got all kinds of “Congratulations” in my inbox.

Apparently there is a new setting that by default is left “On” which in fact tells all your contacts that you’ve taken a new job or got a new contract or whatever. And while you may post this to your profile, it may not be something you want to stick in someone’s inbox.

I know it’s posted online for the world to see. But some things posted are meant to be passive not direct. Linkedin is supposed to be a place to catalog your accomplishments and business interests. Not a sounding board to push out content in people inboxes. I choose what to pushout. Not LinkedIn.

What’s bothersome is LinkedIn knows this new feature is a problem and only passively tells their members.

It looks like this:

“”By selecting this option, your activity updates will be shared in your activity feed.

  • Note: You may want to turn this option off if you’re looking for a job and don’t want your present employer to see that you’re updating your profile.”"

That’s incredible “if you’re looking for a job and don’t want your present employer to see” THEY WROTE THAT!!!!


OK, so you’d have to be a tool to update your profile with a new job while having an existing job, but the fact that by default LinkedIn has gone in and chosen to tell all your contacts is disturbing. It’s wrong on so many levels they take it upon themselves to send that email.

My issue is I don’t have a “Job” I have “clients” and now my clients think I got a Job. Which is unusual for a consultant to have a job and consult and makes me look like a “Moonlighter”.

It’s just wrong Linkedin. You had no right to do that.

Robert Siciliano has no job. He is a consultant to great security companies. See him discussing home security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover.

Comments (3)

Sonja Patterson
Keller Williams - BV - College Station, TX
Texas Monthly 5-Star Realtor Recipient for the Hou

Robert, I get peoples "updates" weekly!  I know it is good for me to be "Linked"...but I'm starting to get annoyed with complete strangers wanting to be linked...That's not for me. :)

Mar 03, 2011 02:53 PM
John Pusa
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Crest - Glendale, CA
Your All Time Realtor With Exceptional Service

Robert - Thank you for the information on a new Linkedin setting.

Mar 03, 2011 04:10 PM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Ooops!  Could lead to some really embarrassing situations.  Thanks for the heads up Robert.

Mar 03, 2011 10:38 PM

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