LinkedIn Professional Community Policies
Thank you for using LinkedIn, where the world’s professionals come together to find jobs, stay informed, learn new skills, and build productive relationships. The content that you contribute to LinkedIn should be professionally relevant and meant to contribute to the LinkedIn community in a constructive manner. For additional information on what that means, see our Publishing Platform Guidelines. Together we can make our community a place where everyone is respectful, compassionate, and honest, which, in turn, creates economic opportunity for everyone.
These Community Policies continually evolve to ensure our members have a safe, trusted, and professional experience on LinkedIn.
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Tell us if you see something unsafe, untrustworthy, or unprofessional
If you see something you believe may violate our policies, whether in profiles, posts, messages, comments, or anywhere else, please report it to us. Combined with our automated defenses, these reports help us identify and prevent abuse and misbehavior. Please use the reporting tools responsibly and only for their intended purposes. To learn more about how to report inappropriate content, behavior, or members, visit our Safety Center.
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Violating our community policies can result in action against your account or content
These policies apply to all members. Depending on the severity of violation, we may limit the visibility of certain content or remove it entirely. If you believe a particular item of content was removed in error, you can appeal from the link provided in the removal notice. Repeated or severe offenses can result in a temporary or permanent restriction from LinkedIn. If you believe action taken on your account was in error, you can submit a request to appeal your case.
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Be safe
We require every member to be civil and respectful as they engage on LinkedIn.
Do not be hateful: We don’t allow content that attacks, denigrates, intimidates, dehumanizes, incites or threatens hatred, violence, prejudicial or discriminatory action against individuals or groups because of their actual or perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, or disability status. Hate groups are not permitted on LinkedIn. Do not use racial, religious, or other slurs that incite or promote hatred, or any other content intended to create division.
Do not engage in unwanted advances: We don’t allow unwanted expressions of attraction, desire, requests for a romantic relationship, marriage proposals, sexual advances or innuendo, or lewd remarks. Do not use LinkedIn to pursue romantic connections, ask for romantic dates, or provide sexual commentary on someone’s appearance.
Do not harass or bully: We don’t allow bullying or harassment. This includes abusive language, revealing others’ personal or sensitive information (aka “doxing”), or inciting or engaging others to do any of the same.
Do not threaten, incite, or promote violence: We don’t allow threatening or inciting violence of any kind. We don’t allow individuals or groups that engage in or promote violence, property damage, or organized criminal activity. You may not use LinkedIn to express support for such individuals or groups or to otherwise glorify violence.
Do not share harmful or shocking material: We don't allow content that is excessively gruesome or shocking. This includes content that is sadistic or gratuitously graphic, such as the depiction of severe physical violence. We don’t allow content or activities that promote, organize, depict, or facilitate criminal activity. We also don’t allow content depicting or promoting instructional weapon making, drug abuse, and threats of theft. Do not engage in or promote non-consensual sexually explicit content (e.g., revenge porn), escort services, prostitution, exploitation of children, or human trafficking. Do not share content or activities that promote or encourage suicide or any type of self-injury, including self-mutilation and eating disorders. If you see signs that someone may be considering self-harm, please report it.
Do not post terrorist content or promote terrorism: We don’t allow any terrorist organizations or violent extremist groups on our platform. And we don’t allow any individuals who affiliate with such organizations or groups to promote their activities. Content that depicts terrorist activity, that is intended to recruit for terrorist organizations, or threatens, promotes, or supports terrorism in any manner is not tolerated.
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Be Trustworthy
We require you to use your true identity on LinkedIn, provide accurate information about yourself or your organization, and only share information that is real and authentic.
Do not share false or misleading content: Do not share content in a way that you know is, or think may be, misleading or inaccurate, including misinformation or disinformation. Do not share content to interfere with or improperly influence an election or another civic process. We may prevent you from posting content from sites that are known to produce or contain misinformation. Do not share content that directly contradicts guidance from leading global health organizations and public health authorities. Do not post content that denies a well-documented historical event such as the Holocaust or slavery. Do not share false content or information, including news stories, that present untrue facts or events as though they are true or likely true. Do not post “deepfake” images or videos of others or otherwise post content that has been manipulated to deceive. Do not share content or endorse someone or something in exchange for personal benefit (including personal or family relationships, monetary payment, free products or services, or other value), unless you have included a clear and conspicuous notice of the personal benefit you receive and have otherwise complied with our Advertising Policies.
Do not create a fake profile or falsify information about yourself: We don’t allow fake profiles or entities. Do not post misleading or deceptive information about yourself, your business, your qualifications, work experience, affiliations, or achievements. Do not use an image of someone else, or any other image that is not your likeness, for your profile photo. Do not associate yourself on LinkedIn with a business or organization that you are not actually associated with. Do not use or attempt to use another person's LinkedIn account or create a member profile for anyone other than yourself. And do not share your LinkedIn account with anyone else.
Do not engage in spam or scams: We don’t allow untargeted, irrelevant, obviously unwanted, unauthorized, inappropriately commercial or promotional, or gratuitously repetitive messages or other similar content. Do not use LinkedIn to sensationalize or capitalize on tragic events for commercial purposes. Do not use our invitation feature to send promotional messages to people you don’t know or to otherwise spam people. Please make the effort to create original, professional, relevant, and interesting content in order to gain popularity, instead of trying ways to artificially increase the number of views, re-shares, likes, or comments. Respond authentically to others’ content and don’t agree with others ahead of time to like or re-share each other’s content.
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Be professional
We require content to be professionally relevant and on topic, such as sharing and gaining expertise; hiring and getting hired; teaching and acquiring new skills; and engaging in actions that allow you and others to be more productive and successful.
Do not share content containing sexually explicit material or language (some adult content may be allowed if the intent is clearly educational, medical, scientific, or artistic, and it’s not gratuitously graphic).
Do not interact with others or share content in a way that’s irrelevant, inappropriate, disrespectful, or otherwise inflammatory.
Do not share junk mail, spam, chain letters, phishing schemes, or any other scams are also prohibited.
For additional information about what it means to be professionally relevant on LinkedIn, see our Publishing Platform Guidelines.
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Respect others’ rights and follow the law
Before sharing or using someone else's copyrighted works, trademarks, private information, or trade secrets, make sure you have the legal right to do so. LinkedIn should not be used for illegal activities, promoting illegal products, or violating the rights of others. Don't use it to commit fraud or to try to trick others, or to intentionally distribute viruses, worms, or other software that can destroy or interrupt others' data or computer devices.
Respect others' privacy: You may not solicit email addresses or other personal information from LinkedIn members you don't know without authorization; use, disclose or distribute on LinkedIn any data obtained in violation of any of our policies or agreements; disclose information that you don’t have the right to disclose (such as personal or confidential information of others, including your employer); or post or distribute content depicting children without the necessary consent from their legal guardian or parent. Don’t use others' names, likenesses, or photos to suggest an endorsement of a product, service, or investment without their prior consent.
Comply with the law: You must comply with all applicable laws, including, for example, privacy laws, intellectual property laws, anti-spam laws, export control laws, tax laws, and regulatory requirements. Do not use LinkedIn to create or operate a pyramid scheme, engage in fraud, or to sell or promote illegal products, including drugs.
Respect the intellectual property of others and do not violate the intellectual property rights of others: We respect the intellectual property rights of others. Do not violate the intellectual property rights of others, including copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, or other proprietary rights. For example, do not copy or distribute (except through the available sharing functionality) the posts or other content of others without their permission, which they may give by posting under a Creative Commons license. Visit the LinkedIn Copyright Policy to learn more about how to report copyright infringement. For more information on trademark rules, see our Trademark Policy.
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Respect LinkedIn’s rights
Do not violate the rights of LinkedIn. For more information about what this means, see our User Agreement. It’s not okay to suggest you’re affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn when you’re not. Don’t violate our intellectual property rights, scrape LinkedIn, or interfere with or disrupt the platform.
Unauthorized access and use: Access LinkedIn only in the manner that we expressly authorize, for the tasks that it is intended for. Do not access LinkedIn except through the interfaces intentionally provided by us, such as its mobile applications and linkedin.com.
Interference with LinkedIn: Do not interfere with the functionality of, or our rights in, the LinkedIn service. Do not remove any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights notices contained in or on any LinkedIn service.
Respect our rules: You must follow the spirit and letter of our rules, agreements, and policies. Do not violate any additional terms concerning the specific LinkedIn services that are provided when you sign up for or start using such services.