LinkedIn. Is it trustworthy? Is it safe?

May 10, 2013

Am I listed on LinkedIn? No I'm not.  I opted out following last years security scare when hackers slashed their way into the site and ripped-off over six million user passwords.  Bad enough in itself, but to make it even worse the perpetrators then very cheekily posted a file containing the encrypted passwords onto a Russian forum asking the global hacking community to help with the de-cryption of the hacked passwords.  

To be fair LinkedIn responded pretty quickly by saying the hacked passwords would be invalidated. Ok, that may have been a tad shutting the stable door after the horse had bolted but it was a responsible damage limitation strategy by the networking site which may have provided solace to a percentage of aggrieved users.

What about information trustworthiness? 

Well, a recent survey questions the authenticity of some of the member information carried on the site. Not a major surprise you may think.

Robert Half UK, a recruitment specialist company, has revealed that 82% of finance directors question the trustworthiness and accuracy of a potential candidate’s LinkedIn profile. When questioned, more than 68% said that they found the information ‘sometimes’ and ‘never’ reliable. Nearly 39% said they were concerned about the opportunity job seekers have to exaggerate experience and skills, followed by lack of systems/procedures to qualify information (37%), relative anonymity of social media (15%) and lastly the lack of regularly updated profiles (8%).

Interestingly, the research found that more than 80% of people surveyed considered directly received applications for employment more trustworthy and accurate than LinkedIn profiles, with nearly one in four saying they are 'much more trustworthy’.

So your written job application and curriculum vitae (résumé) may seem a little quaint and Dickensian but it could still be the way to go to secure that job interview.

Sponsored Recommendations

Understanding Thermal Challenges in EV Charging Applications

March 28, 2024
As EVs emerge as the dominant mode of transportation, factors such as battery range and quicker charging rates will play pivotal roles in the global economy.

Board-Mount DC/DC Converters in Medical Applications

March 27, 2024
AC/DC or board-mount DC/DC converters provide power for medical devices. This article explains why isolation might be needed and which safety standards apply.

Use Rugged Multiband Antennas to Solve the Mobile Connectivity Challenge

March 27, 2024
Selecting and using antennas for mobile applications requires attention to electrical, mechanical, and environmental characteristics: TE modules can help.

Out-of-the-box Cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity with AWS IoT ExpressLink

March 27, 2024
This demo shows how to enroll LTE-M and Wi-Fi evaluation boards with AWS IoT Core, set up a Connected Health Solution as well as AWS AT commands and AWS IoT ExpressLink security...

Comments

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Electronic Design, create an account today!