LinkedIn is a mess

I wish LinkedIn would decide what it is.

Giving constructive and valuable communications advice produces no traction on the algorithm.

On the other hand, personal stories with my photo and complaining commentaries are embraced.

"LinkedIn aims to help people understand market changes, find career opportunities, and connect with helpful individuals," CEO Daniel Schapero said in June at The Wall Street Journal Institute at Cannes.

Well --

About 20 major articles have appeared in the past year about how people are using LinkedIn as a dating app, including Fortune and The Wall Street Journal. LinkedIn repeatedly responds they are "a platform for professional growth and career advancement, not finding a date.”

Numerous articles have cited LinkedIn being used as a career path reverse-engineering tool, a direct executive customer service escalation desk, a corporate public relations and puzzle news network, and background checker for divorce and civil litigation.

Companies are paying upwards of $8,000 a month to ghostwriters to write dramatic, polished "personal lesson" stories for their executives to post, according to Business Insider.

The Guardian says landlords are demanding to see LinkedIn connections just to secure apartment viewings. 

LinkedIn says it uses member data and user posts by default to train and fine-tune generative AI tools across global regions.

Whatever LinkedIn says it is as a brand, it seems to have veered far off the track.

That's why I'm launching a newsletter soon.

Somebody needs to create the BlueSky of professional networking platforms and stick with it.