030 - Why I Left LinkedIn for Good
LinkedIn once promised a world of professional connections and opportunity. In reality, it became a marketplace of noise filled with sales pitches, empty compliments, and automated outreach. What was meant to connect people now functions as a machine for attention and metrics.
LinkedIn once promised a world of professional connections and opportunity. (Ghibli by GPT5)
During my job search, I gave it a fair chance. I applied, I networked, I replied. Instead of real opportunities, I ran into fake recruiters, scam postings, and the same cycle of exploitation that preys on ambition. The platform that was supposed to empower workers now profits from their frustration. Yesterday, a new friend was trying to connect me to a programmer friend of his, and the first question was “Yo, what is your LinkedIn?” I literally deactivated that a few weeks ago, reactivated to finish up correspondence for one of the roles I had interviewed for, and then made the final decision to keep it shut down permanently last week. I had 3303+ followers and contacts on there, and I did not even bother to save it all. Bygones.
It was not always this way. Early on, there was discovery and curiosity. People shared genuine insight and experience. Now the algorithm rewards activity over substance, and performance over authenticity. The result is a space where loudness replaces intelligence.
There is also the matter of trust. The founder, Reid Hoffman, has been connected to troubling associations and questionable figures. Whether through silence or complicity, he has not earned the trust to lead a network that influences millions of careers. Once I understood that, it became clear that continuing to give time, content, and data to that system served their interests, not mine. Even the National Legal and Policy Center had an article that was eye-opening for me: http://nlpc.org/featured-news/the-hypocrisy-of-reid-hoffman. Even Forbes began questioning why Reid was funding E. Jean Carroll’s case, and that can be found here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/05/10/what-was-reid-hoffmans-role-in-funding-e-jean-carrolls-case. I wonder sometimes how we let people like this have any access to our lives, and in this case, our professional lives?
So I left. I no longer post or engage there. My professional identity no longer depends on someone else’s platform. I prefer real conversations, independent publishing, and projects that speak for themselves.
Leaving LinkedIn is not about isolation. It is about preservation. In a world obsessed with visibility, choosing to be unseen is a quiet act of strength.
Some links in this post:
National Legal and Policy Center on Reid Hoffman: Click Here (To View)
Forbes Asking Why Reid Funds E. Jean Carroll’s Case: Click Here (To View)
Written by Mani Midi
For those walking their own path.
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CEO & Co-Founder: MaNiverse Inc. & Nirmal Usha Foundation
Website: http://www.manimidi.com
My YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/@djmanimidi
Book an Appointment: https://calendly.com/manish-miglani/30min (No LinkedIn, Let’s Really Chat and Connect!)
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QoTD: “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom." - Thomas Jefferson
