Categories: Security

Real or Fake Profiles on LInkedin?

For all the users who are new to LinkedIn, you need to check out an online tutorial before you start using this social network. It’s much different than using Facebook or other social networks. However, LinkedIn comes with just as many safety risks. When using LinkedIn, you’ll still have the risk of stumbling upon a fake, malicious profile or a dangerous link. To stay safe online, use the Anti-Hacking feature to block malicious websites and phishing attempts:

It’s easy to get used to the relative anonymity of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. There are probably select profiles on each platform that you view all the time. Well, you can’t do that on LinkedIn. Why not? Because the person whose profile you’re snooping on can see that you’re looking. Furthermore, LinkedIn will tell them how many times you’ve viewed their page in a specific number of days.

Why does this happen? Because when you joined LinkedIn, your account was created without any privacy controls, allowing for full public visibility. All of LinkedIn was recently updated, and those privacy settings are simply the default settings. If you’d like to know more, keep reading to find out how to change your privacy settings for your LinkedIn account.

How to Change Your Privacy Settings on LinkedIn

Once you’re on your LinkedIn profile, here’s how to change your visibility settings. Click on “Me” > “Settings & Privacy” > “Privacy” > “Profile viewing options.” You’ll now see a list of three options: Your “name and headline” (public), “Private profile characteristics” (semi-private), and “Private mode” (fully private). Here’s the difference between these three options:

Public: You’ll automatically be in this mode when you sign up for LinkedIn. So, if you view someone’s profile, they’ll see your full name, profile photo, and headline. LinkedIn says that they recommend the public mode, since it encourages more connection between its users. Indeed, a potential employer is more likely to find you if they notice that you’ve looked at their profile. But if you decide to stay in public mode, don’t look at the same profile repeatedly. It won’t help your chances of getting the job.
Semi-Private: For this mode, if you visit someone’s profile, they’ll only see certain aspects of your identity, such as your company, location, or job title. But your name will be hidden. There isn’t a lot of benefit to being semi-private on LinkedIn. In a lot of cases, if someone went digging through the profiles, they could still track you down with this information.
Private: If you want 100% invisibility while you use LinkedIn, this is the mode for you. No one will know your viewing activity. You’ll just appear as an anonymous LinkedIn viewer.

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The dfndr blog is an informative channel that presents exclusive content on security and privacy in the mobile and business world, with tips to keep users protected. Populated by a select group of expert reporters, the channel has a partnership with dfndr lab's security team. Together they bring you, first-notice news about attacks, scams, internet vulnerabilities, malware and everything affecting cybersecurity.