Microsoft-owned LinkedIn has expanded its free verification feature to 16 additional countries, leveraging services like Persona for enhanced user authentication. Targeting an ambitious goal, LinkedIn aims to have 100 million users verified by 2025. The latest expansion includes a geographically diverse set of countries: Cambodia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Grenada, Honduras, Hong Kong, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Venezuela. This initiative underscores LinkedIn's commitment to fostering trust and authenticity within its professional network.
Benefits and Process of Verification
The value of verification on LinkedIn is significant, with free verified profiles seeing up to 60 percent more views, 50 percent more engagement on posts, and a 30 percent increase in connection requests. Verification can apply to various aspects of a user's profile, including their employment and educational background. To undergo verification, users navigate to the “More” tab on their profile, select “About this profile”, and then choose “Verify Now.” The process, facilitated through the LinkedIn App via Persona, necessitates a government-issued passport. It is critical to note that while passport information is used for verification, it is not displayed on the user's profile. However, the issuing country of the passport may be made visible.
Privacy Concerns and Verification Removal
Addressing potential privacy concerns, LinkedIn assures users that their passport information remains confidential and is not shown on their profile. For those wishing to retract their verification, LinkedIn has provided a straightforward process. Users can simply access the “Settings & Privacy” option under the “Me” tab, navigate to “Verifications” within “Account preferences”, and confirm the deletion of their verification status.
In an ongoing effort to enhance the platform's authenticity and reliability, LinkedIn's verification feature powered by Persona represents a significant step towards building a trusted community of professionals. With over 30 million individuals already possessing some form of verification, the platform enables users to assert their authenticity, thereby opening doors to increased opportunities and connections in the professional realm. For further information on the verification process through Persona, LinkedIn has dedicated a help page to assist users.
