It's time to just admit that LinkedIn has been tossed into the sea of social media refuse and it’s too late to save.
For those who have used the platform for more than the last year or so, it certainly presents as if what was once a platform for business has now become little more than a dumping ground of boorishness.
Once upon a time, LinkedIn was the digital version of a handshake, a place where you connected with professionals, discussed business trends, and maybe even found a job. It was a sleek, efficient platform dedicated to keeping the noise of social media out and letting business talk flourish.
Ah yes, those long gone heady years.
Today, the once-pristine boardroom has turned into a chaotic after-hours bar fight. LinkedIn has become just another receptacle for the tired refugees of Facebook and X/Twitter, where business conversations have been replaced by political hate, misinformation, and scam artists lurking in the shadows. What was once a haven for professionals is now a cesspool of propaganda, where racist and sexist undertones too often slip through the cracks of its so-called “community guidelines.”
Facebook 2.0 (With a Suit On)
Let’s start with the obvious: LinkedIn is no longer strictly about business. At some point in the last few years, the platform decided it wanted to be Facebook with a suit on. You scroll through what you think will be helpful articles on leadership or productivity tips, but instead, you’re met with politically charged posts from people who seem to have mistaken LinkedIn for their personal soapbox. You’ve got endless arguments over elections, vaccine conspiracy theories, and don’t forget the back-and-forth debates about climate change, all of which should have been left on Facebook.
While Facebook continues its decline, LinkedIn picked up the stragglers who still needed an outlet for their frustrations. Only this time, they’ve decided to dress it up as “thought leadership” or, even worse, “engagement.” People who previously posted long-winded, angry rants on Facebook about how “the world is going to hell” now do the same on LinkedIn, except with an air of professionalism. You’re not fooling anyone, Karen. A politically charged rant is still a rant, even if you throw in a corporate buzzword like “synergy.”
Political Hatred, Lies, and Propaganda
What makes it worse is that LinkedIn’s algorithm doesn’t seem to care. Just like every other social platform, it rewards engagement, meaning the more outrage your post generates, the more eyeballs it gets. And let’s face it, nothing generates engagement like a good old political brawl, and nothing garners attention than another rant for or against Donald Trump.
Instead of business insights and networking, you get threads filled with misinformation and thinly veiled propaganda. It’s not uncommon to stumble upon posts accusing entire political parties of being evil incarnate, complete with fake statistics and manipulated images. The professional discourse LinkedIn was known for has been drowned out by the noise of social media’s worst tendencies.
Fact-checking? Forget about it. On LinkedIn, you can spew whatever you like, so long as it garners clicks.
Racism, Sexism, and the Erosion of Guidelines
Worse still, LinkedIn has done a pitiful job of enforcing its so-called "community guidelines." Racist and sexist undertones now sneak into posts with alarming frequency. Whether it’s subtle dog-whistling or outright bigotry, LinkedIn often seems to turn a blind eye. How often have you seen comments or posts laced with racist or sexist hints, only for them to skirt by without any consequence?
It’s as if the platform's community standards are written on a whiteboard, constantly being erased and rewritten depending on who’s making the most noise. When LinkedIn does take action, it feels arbitrary, like they’re swatting at mosquitoes with a sledgehammer but missing the actual targets. Meanwhile, genuine hate speech often goes unchecked, leaving users to wonder if LinkedIn’s commitment to a “safe and respectful” community is just another piece of corporate lip service.
The Rise of Scams and Digital Snake Oil Salesmen
As if the political circus and lack of moderation weren’t enough, LinkedIn has also become a haven for scam artists and digital snake oil salesmen. What was once a place to network with professionals is now crawling with people who are less interested in your qualifications and more interested in siphoning money out of your bank account. Every day, professionals are bombarded with connection requests from people peddling “get rich quick” schemes or offering “one-time investment opportunities” that somehow always sound too good to be true—because they are.
Every day my inbox overflows with con artists who begin the pitch with something to the effect of, “Hey Ed, I see where we’re both involved in (fill in something that’s public on your profile) and I thought I’d reach out and connect with a great idea”. Click. Block. Delete. Have a wonderful stroll, troll.
You can’t browse LinkedIn anymore without tripping over someone promising to transform your life with their new e-book or workshop, and all for the low, low price of $999. What’s worse is that these scams are often dressed up in the guise of business mentorship or entrepreneurship advice. These charlatans present themselves as industry experts when, in reality, they’re just trolling for their next mark. LinkedIn has become a prime hunting ground for scam artists, and the platform doesn’t seem too concerned about weeding them out.
Let's balance this by noting there are those legitimate people who seek to make contact for above board business reasons. There are people we want to meet and connect with to forge new and better business relationships. But when you get hammered several times a day by those pushing nothing but nonsense, the din can make you turn a blank state to everything that hits your inbox.
So, Can LinkedIn Be Saved?
It’s a fair question, and one that doesn’t have an easy answer. LinkedIn is caught in a strange identity crisis, unsure whether it wants to be a professional networking site or a full-on social media platform. If it wants to return to its roots, it’s going to need to make some serious changes.
For starters, LinkedIn needs to enforce its community guidelines with a much firmer hand. Racist, sexist, or inflammatory posts should have no place on a platform dedicated to professional development. And while some level of political discussion may be unavoidable, LinkedIn must ensure that the platform doesn’t devolve into another X/Twitter-style rage fest that would make Elon Musk rub his hands together in glee.
Secondly, LinkedIn needs to crack down on the scammers and those who seek connections for no other reason than to sell. Genuine professionals don’t want to be bombarded with unsolicited sales pitches and thinly veiled pyramid schemes. Strengthening its security measures to keep out the scammers should be a top priority.
Most importantly, LinkedIn needs to remember its purpose. It’s a platform for business professionals, not a forum for political warfare, hate speech, or viral attention-seeking. If LinkedIn can’t rein in its worst tendencies, it risks becoming just another Facebook or X/Twitter clone, just with more ties and less credibility.
In short, LinkedIn has a choice to make. It can continue its descent into the social media muck, or it can clean up its act and reclaim its place as the go-to platform for professional networking.
The question is, will it? Or has it already gone too far off the rails to turn back?
Another Facebook faceplant or Musk mucking we sure as Hell don’t need.
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