A really disoncerting experience on LinkedIn. Thoughts?

#1

Post by bryang » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 6:35 PM UTC

I was just on LinkedIn and was quite shocked when I saw a suggestion to connect with someone I haven't heard from in about 9-10 years.

- This person was a friend from a community college course I took in high school and have not seen or spoken to since. - My LinkedIn email has no correlation or correspondence with either the community college or with him. I know LinkedIn has a history of pilfering contacts, but I use a business email that wasn't even created at that time. - I don't even mention on the site that I took a random robotics course at a community college or was even enrolled there. - There are no mutual connections.

So how in the world would LinkedIn think I know him?

Re: A really disoncerting experience on LinkedIn. Thoughts?

#2

Post by dalke » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 7:26 PM UTC

Do you and he have contacts in common? Sites like LinkedIn will look for shared associations like that to make suggestions.

Re: A really disoncerting experience on LinkedIn. Thoughts?

#3

Post by bryang » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 8:41 PM UTC

dalke wrote: post #2

Do you and he have contacts in common? Sites like LinkedIn will look for shared associations like that to make suggestions.

Nope! No mutual contacts.

Re: A really disoncerting experience on LinkedIn. Thoughts?

#4

Post by rndmind » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 8:56 PM UTC

I've had a similar disquieting occurance on that site.. my step-aunt from another state was suggested as a connection. I never talk with her online, only over land line telephone conversations. She even has a different last name.

As far as I can guess, they use publicly available information to make these suggestions, they might have been able to see that you went to the same college.