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LinkedIn’s verification protocols have been placed under the spotlight after one user was able to alter his profile to declare himself as the careers site’s new CEO, without any validation process stopping him.
Alen Cohen, founder and CEO of healthcare startup Hello Patient, altered his LinkedIn profile to claim the title of “CEO of LinkedIn” and found that the platform did not require proof before allowing the update to go live.
Having built its reputation on the credibility of employment records shared by its users, it suggests that its verification protocols may be less robust than many assume.
Social media reacts to LinkedIn’s verification furore
For clarification, Ryan Roslansky has officially held the CEO position at LinkedIn since 2020. Despite this, Cohen was able to assume the title on his profile for a short time without any intervention from the platform.
Cohen revealed his findings in a March 27 post on X (formerly Twitter), questioning LinkedIn’s lack of employment verification.
He wrote: “Still incredible to me that LinkedIn doesn't add any verification to prove you work or previously worked at a company. You can literally just say you worked anywhere.”
To prove his point, he edited his profile and updated his job title to CEO of LinkedIn, sharing a screenshot of the change. The stunt sparked widespread discussion online, with social media users reacting with surprise at the ease with which employment claims could be fabricated.
Questions for HR over vetting and credentialing
The experiment was short-lived, as Cohen removed the title soon after, explaining that he preferred not to risk being banned from the platform. Yet his actions have fuelled broader concerns about the reliability of employment information on LinkedIn, particularly for HR professionals and business leaders who rely on the site for hiring and vetting talent.
While LinkedIn offers an optional verification process for certain details, Cohen’s stunt suggests that significant gaps remain in its employment authentication framework.
As HR leaders increasingly look to digital platforms for talent acquisition, the question of how to ensure accuracy in professional credentials is becoming more pressing.
