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LinkedIn privacy and security

Last modified: 2011-12-25 13:00:15 EET

LinkedIn is a popular social network that connects professionals, helps in seeking a new job or solve work-related problems.

General guidelines on staying safe at LinkedIn

First, always log in to LinkedIn via the secure page https://www.linkedin.com! This will keep your credentials at least a tad safer, although your session will probably continue unencrypted.
Please replace the http:// with https:// after you've logged in to protect your current LinkedIn session. I sure hope that LinkedIn will soon turn on automatic encryption. 

Second, do not post sensitive information: your passwords, secret work projects, etc. Do not post things that can harm you later. For example, "I really hate my stupid boss now" might get you fired if your boss finds out about it...

Third, do not trust all people who want to connect with you - there are many cyber-crooks among them. Be selective and ask questions, if needed, before accepting requests to join someone's professional network.

Fourth, always log off of LinkedIn after you've done visiting the site - otherwise LinkedIn applications and advertisers might track your browsing habits, and this is not that harmless! And do not expect logging out of Windows or restarting your computer to protect you there - you really-really need to sign out of LinkedIn to delete cookies that might allow tracking.
To stay safe, click your name on the top right and select Sign Out from the menu.

Configuring LinkedIn settings

To set your LinkedIn preferences, click your name on the top right (left to the Add Connections link) and click Settings.
  

LinkedIn Profile

Profile tab opens first. Click Turn on/off your activity broadcasts.

It is recommended to keep your activity private to prevent unwanted people from seeing potentially sensitive data - for example, your current boss might not like you looking for a new job.
Clear the Let people know when you change your profile, make recommendations, or follow companies check box to be on the safe side in the future. Then click the Save changes button.

Next, click the Select who can see your activity feed link.

Limit the visibility to Your connections. Click Save changes.
You could also limit the visibility to Your network or Only you, but never select Everyone here - your activity on LinkedIn should be private information.

Back on Profile tab, click the Select what others see when you've viewed their profile link.
 

The recommended option is fine with most people, but those who need to keep their actions private should click the Anonymous profile characteristics such as industry and title radio button.
Don't forget to click the Save changes button! 

Next, click the Select who can see your connections link.

Most people should choose the Your connections option here, but those needing to keep the details under cover should choose Only you instead.
But remember, shared connections will always stay visible!
Click Save changes.

Open the Change your profile photo & visibility link.

Select either the My Connections or My Network option here. Never use the Everyone option!
Remember, if you message someone on LinkedIn, your profile photo will be displayed in the mail.
Click Save Settings.

Back on the Profile tab, click the Edit your public profile link on the right. This is a very important setting, as this controls if or how major search engines, such as Google, Bing or Yahoo! see, index and display your LinkedIn profile.

The best option is to prevent search engines' access to your LinkedIn profile - click the Make my public profile visible to no one option on the right side of the screen. This will avoid accidental leakages of your private data.
If you do want to appear in search results, select the Make my public profile visible to everyone option, but please limit the exposed data to Basics only!
Click Go back to Settings on the top right.

That's it for the Profile settings.

LinkedIn Email Preferences

Click the Email Preferences tab. Then open Select the types of messages you're willing to receive.

You should limit the LinkedIn message types to Introductions and InMail only and deselect all categories in the Opportunities section. This will prevent careless or malicious people's spamming.
Type a descriptive text in the Advice to people who are contacting you field.
Click Save changes.

Open Select who can send you invitations next.

To prevent spamming, select the Only people who know your email address or appear in your "Imported Contacts" list option.
Remember to click Save changes!

On the right, in the LinkedIn Communications section, click the Turn on/off invitations to participate in research link. No, this option is not for scientific researches, but market researches. Yeah, the long questionnaires... 

Clear the Yes, I'd like to receive invitations to participate in online research studies check box and click Save changes.

Click Turn on/off partner InMail next. This controls LinkedIn partners' ability to send you promotional mails. You know - buy this, buy that, we are the best, you are special to us, etc. 

Clear both check boxes here before clicking Save changes. You really do not need the informational and promotional messages from LinkedIn's marketing partners or hiring campaign partners.

And that's all for the Email Preferences.

LinkedIn Groups, Companies & Applications

Click the Groups, Companies & Applications tab. Then open Turn on/off group invitations.

If you like to discover and join LinkedIn groups, leave the I am open to receiving group invitations check box selected. If not, clear it.
Click Save changes.

Next, click the View your applications link in the Applications section.

Here you can see all authorized applications and external websites. Check if you really need these, and if not, select the unnecessary items and click Remove.

In the Privacy Controls section, click Turn on/off data sharing with 3rd party applications.

To prevent leaking your personal information to third-party apps, clear the Yes, share my data with third-party applications check box before clicking Save changes.

Click the Manage settings for LinkedIn plugins on third-party sites link.

To prevent LinkedIn from learning your browsing habits via plug-ins on web sites, clear the Yes, allow LinkedIn to receive information about my visits to pages that use LinkedIn plugins check box.
Also, please remember to sign out of LinkedIn after you've finished using it!
Click the Save changes button.

LinkedIn Account

Open Account tab. In the Privacy Controls section, click Manage Social Advertising.

Social advertising on LinkedIn is very much like Facebook ads that show your name and photo - really bad! You do not want ad companies to track your habits, or LinkedIn to display your personal details.
Always clear the LinkedIn may use my use my name, photo in social advertising check box! Then click Save.

Back on the Account tab, click the Turn on/off enhanced advertising link.

Enhanced advertising means that you might see personal ads on LinkedIn partner web sites. For example, "Oh, you got a new job? Checking your payroll... How about a new Ferrari?" 
Not that bad (hopefully), but you should not allow advertising companies to track you. So please clear The LinkedIn Audience Network may show me enhanced advertising check box and click Save changes. 

And finally, here's how to change your LinkedIn password. Just click the Change password link on the Account tab.

Type your present password into Old password field. Then fill New password and Confirm new password fields and click the Change password button.
Remember to create a strong and unique passphrase! Never re-use passwords! Consider using free password manager software to store and auto-fill your user names and passwords securely.

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