I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over • Hacker News Board

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#191

Post by lp4v4n » Sat, Feb 21, 2026, 3:43 PM UTC

csmpltn wrote: post #36

A good reminder of how things actually work, but the article could use some more balancing… > Let that sink in. You scanned your European passport for a European professional network, and your data went exclusively to North American companies. Not a single EU-based subprocessor in the chain. LinkedIn is an American product. The EU has had 20 years to create an equally successful and popular product, which it failed t…

>The EU has had 20 years to create an equally successful and popular product, which it failed to do. American companies don’t owe your European nationalist ambitions a dime. Use their products at your own discretion.

I can see not everybody here will agree with me, but I find this take absolutely reasonable. The European space has the capacity and the resources to create a product that replaces something as trivial as Linkedin, and yet it takes the lazy approach of just using American products.

It's the same thing with China's manufactured products, at some point the rest of the world just accepted that everything gets done in China and then keep complaining about how abusive China can be.

The most recent issue is the military question. Europe relied for decades on the "cheap" protection of the USA. Now the USA gave the middle finger to Europe and Europe acts shocked, but Europe is not so shocked when it comes to the military budget it did not spend on self defense during all the time the Americans provided protection.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#192

Post by tagyro » Sat, Feb 21, 2026, 3:43 PM UTC

I almost fell for a very sophisticated phishing attack last December and most of the "verifiable" information was from my LinkedIn account.

For each role I had described some of the tasks and accomplishments and this was used in the phishing message.

Since then, I removed my photo, changed my name only to initials and removed all the role-specific information.

It's a bit of a bummer as I'm currently in the process of looking for a new job and unfortunately having a LinkedIn profile is still required in some places, but once I find it, I'll delete my profile.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#193

Post by register » Sat, Feb 21, 2026, 3:44 PM UTC

Saline9515 wrote: post #128

register wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That response reeks of astonishing arrogance. It doesn’t surprise me that nearly 50% of Americans voted for Donald Trump he perfectly embodies that mindset. Do you genuinely believe you are superior to the rest of the world? What you call “innovation” or a “better product” is often nothing more than the creation of dominant market positions through massive, capital deployment, followed by straightforward rent extract…

Why can't the EU deploy capital? Regulation doesn't create better products, more aggressive marketing techniques, or deeply entrepreneurial mindsets which favor innovation and growth. While OP is quite aggressive here, there is a nugget of truth: innovation doesn't happen because "we have the best lawyers" or "the best regulations". Maybe some self-criticism would be warranted to solve the problem. Also nothing force…

Here's another JD Vance who doesn't understand what international rules are and justifies that with (lack of) innovation

Below you can find the relevant GDPR excerpt. But before that, let me add to the coment below that US companies only comply with what EU institutions can enforce and what suits them; which is normal, since China does the same. Well, it couldn’t have been said better: in fact, we’re beginning to view you the same way we view China. And China innovates a lot, right?

"Article 3 – Territorial scope (GDPR)

This Regulation applies to the processing of personal data in the context of the activities of an establishment of a controller or a processor in the Union, regardless of whether the processing takes place in the Union or not.

This Regulation applies to the processing of personal data of data subjects who are in the Union by a controller or processor not established in the Union, where the processing activities are related to: (a) the offering of goods or services, irrespective of whether a payment of the data subject is required, to such data subjects in the Union; or (b) the monitoring of their behaviour as far as their behaviour takes place within the Union.

This Regulation applies to the processing of personal data by a controller not established in the Union, but in a place where Member State law applies by virtue of public international law."

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#194

Post by wolvoleo » Sat, Feb 21, 2026, 3:45 PM UTC

rrr_oh_man wrote: post #45

kleiba wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One detail you might have overlooked: even if you're an American company - if you offer your services in Europe (through the web or otherwise), you're subject to European laws and regulations, including the GDPR.

"Sue me" is what a purely cis-Atlantean company might say.

Which is of course exactly what is happening with the likes of Google and Meta.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#195

Post by register » Sat, Feb 21, 2026, 3:46 PM UTC

wolvoleo wrote: post #183

csmpltn wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Building a site like LinkedIn is really easy. Europe can easily do this. All it is is yet another social media site of which there are tons. There is nothing special about LinkedIn. The reason we didn't was critical mass. Everyone was already on linkedin and there wasn't really a reason to pick something else until the US started becoming a nuisance. It's marketing, not technical. I'm sure an EU alternative will come…

Completely agree.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#196

Post by 8organicbits » Sat, Feb 21, 2026, 3:46 PM UTC

aleksandrm wrote: post #103

LinkedIn is no longer a "professional network". I'm actually considering DELETING my account.

What's holding you back?

As a blogging platform it seems like a mess of fake posturing. Recruiters use it, but that mostly means you get lots of spam. You can find a job without LinkedIn. I deleted my account about a decade ago and feel increasingly justified every time I read about the current state of affairs.

After deleting I got a job from HN "who's hiring", joined a friend's company, and now freelance.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#197

Post by bicepjai » Sat, Feb 21, 2026, 3:48 PM UTC

wolvoleo wrote: post #159

Wow that is insane. Persona is even linked to Peter Thiel. If LinkedIn asks me to verify then I'll just leave. I'd be very happy for it to fall over anyway so there is space for a new more ethical platform. Especially since Microsoft acquired it, all bets are off.

In the era of agents, just create your own website. Also it is insane that this is happening.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#198

Post by 18061235 » Sat, Feb 21, 2026, 3:48 PM UTC

stateofinquiry wrote: post #44

luxpir wrote: post #29

I really appreciate this write-up. Was forced to verify to get access to a new account. Like, an interstitial page that forced verification before even basic access. Brief context for that: was being granted a salesnav licence, but to my work address with no account attached to it. Plus I had an existing salesnav trial underway on main account and didn't want to give access to that work. So I reluctantly verified wit…

Thank you for sharing this. I understand, and even agree, that how this is being handled has some pretty creepy aspects. But one thing missing from the comments I see here and elsewhere is: How else should verification be handled? We have a real problem with AI/bots online these days, trust will be at a premium. How can we try to assure it? I can think of one way: Everyone must pay to be a member (there will still be…

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Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#199

Post by wolvoleo » Sat, Feb 21, 2026, 3:50 PM UTC

poszlem wrote: post #58

csmpltn wrote: post #36

A good reminder of how things actually work, but the article could use some more balancing… > Let that sink in. You scanned your European passport for a European professional network, and your data went exclusively to North American companies. Not a single EU-based subprocessor in the chain. LinkedIn is an American product. The EU has had 20 years to create an equally successful and popular product, which it failed t…

I see this sentiment constantly. It is genuinely hilarious to watch Americans lecture the world about the free market while feigning shock that Europe hasn't produced its own tech giants. Claiming "the EU had 20 years to build an equally successful product" is the geopolitical equivalent of a deeply dysfunctional 1950s household. For decades, the husband insisted he handle all the enterprise and security so he could…

Exactly! It's the same with the military dependency.

America wanted a weak Europe, to be dependent on them so they would have geopolitical influence. They basically bought influence. They didn't want us to have nukes to defend ourselves from the Russians (the French are frowned upon and the British don't really have their own, they are beholden to the US). It also gave them a huge market for their products and services (and no there was no imbalance if you take services into account which Trump doesn't).

Then Trump comes and complains that we're not investing equally. Well no, but this was exactly as his predecessors designed. Now we will build it up but of course we will need to build our own nuclear umbrella and we will no longer give the US its influence it previously had, obviously.

We also don't need quite as much military expenditure anyway because we're just looking to defend ourselves, not trample oil-producing countries. The only times we did that were exactly due to the US' bought influence.

Re: I verified my LinkedIn identity. Here's what I handed over

#200

Post by wolvoleo » Sat, Feb 21, 2026, 3:52 PM UTC

Saline9515 wrote: post #135

poszlem wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see this sentiment constantly. It is genuinely hilarious to watch Americans lecture the world about the free market while feigning shock that Europe hasn't produced its own tech giants. Claiming "the EU had 20 years to build an equally successful product" is the geopolitical equivalent of a deeply dysfunctional 1950s household. For decades, the husband insisted he handle all the enterprise and security so he could…

The US is not just alone, EU governments are fully cooperating, happily. A Microsoft official explained during a french parliamentary session that he couldn't guarantee that the State data was safe from US requests. It created a shockwave, as everyone discovered what was evident from the start. Of course, nothing happened, and they renewed every contract since then. We could talk about the F35 procurement.

They renewed every contract, but the French government is hard at work at replacements for Microsoft stuff, called 'la suite'. The Germans are doing the same under the name 'opendesk' and the suite shares a lot of common tools in fact.

This predates Trump II by the way, they did have more foresight than a lot of EU institutions.

Things have changed for sure but big ships take long to turn.