CEO, Transparent Path. Reducing supply chain waste with real-time visibility and AI-powered predictive guidance.
As of today, I've been on LinkedIn for 21 years (2004). And for many of those years, the site's provided a lot of value. But recently, that's been waning. Just this past weekend, I realized I get about as many fake connection requests on LinkedIn as I do legitimate ones. A friend who is a former senior member of the US intelligence community assured me that these fake requests are primarily generated by the Chinese Communist Party. They always fall into three categories: 1) "you're super-interesting! Can I learn from you?" 2) "can I ask you a question?", or 3) "why does LinkedIn keep showing me your profile?" Always on the prowl looking for #kompromat. Before LinkedIn, I was active on INWYK.com, NING, Xing, and Ryze. There was a real sense of community — of actually meeting someone professionally — on all three. Now all I get are bots and bad prospecting. Anyone else experiencing the same trend?
I hate to be glib and pessimistic but I'm pretty sure that its just what Cory Doctorow described. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification
People create fake accounts for mass spamming as well. With that said fake accounts have been around for a long time, it's been an issue for me for several years... about once a month I spend 20 minutes deleting all the fake requests.
Interesting - I have never gotten any of these. I guess you need to invent the “transparent path” for profiles.
When I was younger, my generation didn’t pay much attention to LinkedIn because we didn’t fully grasp its value. However, as we navigated the challenges of the job market, especially during the COVID pandemic and the ongoing economic struggles with rising inflation, many of us turned to LinkedIn as a way to learn from experienced professionals and successful CEOs. The opportunity to connect with and gain insights from these individuals is invaluable for personal and career growth. Unfortunately, the increasing wave of spam messages and fake connection requests makes this process significantly harder for young professionals who genuinely want to engage in meaningful conversations. It’s disheartening to think that these fake accounts not only waste time but also make it even more difficult for ambitious individuals to reach out to experienced leaders, who are already overwhelmed with daily responsibilities and countless messages. The decline of authentic interactions on LinkedIn is truly a shame, as it should be a platform for real learning, networking, and professional development.
I can't relate since all of my messages are personalize and you'll know it's not from AI or automated because I don't use first name. I call them by their nickname and if I don't know their nickname, I'll create a new one. Thanks for sharing this post 'Ric'.
Great observation. I’ve noticed the same thing—especially with the influx of generic connection requests. Any tips on filtering out the noise Eric Weaver?
It will be interesting what the man who knows more about this than anyone, the incoming Us Prez, will do about TikTok, or we presume the response based on personal financial deals.
Yes, we all get these because the vetting process is poor on LinkedIn, but it’s not in my option the CCP it’s Asian Triad Gangs and they are scamming online individuals! LinkedIn should be able to see this! LinkedIn is not available to the average Chinese Citizen unless they have a special VPN which is closely monitored! So Eric, it’s Asian triad gang member who are very technically sophisticated as well! Take care, Karl Weaver
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1moYou just crushed my ego! Lol! 🤣 My rule of thumb is never accept the invite to connect with anyone I don't know. Unfortunately, this means I cannot rely on LI to generate new leads. I have to rely on the old fashion method of finding opportunities to knock on people's door. This is why I believe what my team is doing is so valuable - using the STEP money to lower the expenses for small businesses to travel and attend international trade shows with us to build their connections, knowledge of the market, and eventually sales! Despite of the technology and AI, human to human contact is still crucial! 🤝