LinkedIn’s vibe has changed. Professionals on the work-focused social network are now sharing uber personal updates about divorces and bodily functions; “LinkedInfluencers” are becoming mainstream; and unwanted sexual advances and trolls are now commonplace. Other media outlets have noticed the change, too, with Insider saying the platform has gotten “really weird,” while Bloomberg argues that it’s “cool now.”
Weird or not, Elon Musk’s X may have something to do with the shift. Users are leaving X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, in droves. In the year Musk has been in charge, he’s driven away two company leaders who oversaw content moderation, repeatedly overhauled the blue check mark verification system, and removed headlines from news articles shared on the platform. The result is a poorly moderated platform rife with violence, disinformation, or outright propaganda.
