Last time it happened when I logged in through the LinkedIn app on my phone, that I didn't have a VPN connection running, and I guess the sudden geographical jump of my IP triggered LinkedIn.
I can't keep going on like this, to discover with each new profile that I make once every 2-3 years another bit of info that may trigger LinkedIn (I have read up on various triggers, and they keep shifting). Is there a comprehensive list of what I have to do to avoid this fate the next time?
I would also be happy to pay for LinkedIn to avoid getting restricted, but again I don't feel comfortable using my personal credit card, because I don't want to give LinkedIn any other data point than a frugal version of my CV. I'm wondering whether perhaps my name already is permanently "tainted" so that it will automatically get restricted due to my past attempts.
Do you use an agency to manage your LinkedIn profile? I'd be willing to spent a reasonable one-off amount for someone to let me know precisely what I have to do to avoid.
Are there specialists out there that can manage a privacy-aware LinkedIn profiles?
It MUST somehow be possible to balance the need for a reasonable level of privacy with the need of having a LinkedIn account that is robust under using VPNs etc. and that I just use to received some recruiter mail every once in a while (no crazy attempts to hoard connections etc.).
> It MUST somehow be possible to balance the need for a reasonable level of privacy with the need of having a LinkedIn account
1. You do not "need" a LinkedIn account. Lots of people use it, some even like it, but you don't have to. I don't.
2. Why "must" that balance be possible? Many privacy-conscious people don't use social media sites like LinkedIn. LinkedIn doesn't have to accommodate us, and we don't have to bend to them either.
Likely not telling you something you don’t already know, but many sites persist access logs and can answer “Which IPs accessed this account?” for a very long time indeed.
If you’re using VPN providers rather than a DIY approach, or even if you DIY through a cloud or other hosting provider, it’s extremely easy to answer questions like, “Which IPs that accessed this account came from known eyeball networks like Comcast?” (or cellular networks).
If your goal is masking your true location then all it takes is one slip-up and it’s somewhat irreversible. In security roles, I’ve seen more than one threat actor busted through one slip-up (“Whoops we forgot to VPN when accessing one time, 14 months ago”).
If you’re aiming to have a site not know Profile A and Profile B are the same, ditto, except now you also need to not access the site using the same methods, and also consider to what degree your browser / client can be fingerprinted.
All of that said I would not expect too many legitimate communications to this anonymous account. Recruiters, debt collectors and investigators pay to see more data on LinkedIn than others and will avoid unverified accounts. They can bypass most privacy settings. The automated bots would still reach out giving the appearance this setup works. Their system can also detect VoIP numbers.