LinkedIn, the professional networking and job-searching platform, has been trending on X, formerly Twitter, today for multiple reasons, one of which involves a mention by tech titan Elon Musk and ongoing debates about censorship.
With over 20,000 posts at the time of writing, the platform received a substantial boost when billionaire entrepreneur Musk announced his intentions to develop a “cool” competitor to LinkedIn. This revelation has sparked discussions about Musk’s rumored plan to transform X into an “everything app.”
“People send me LinkedIn links sometimes, but the cringe level is so high that I just can’t bring myself to use it, so I ask for the resume or bio to be emailed. We will make sure that the X competitor to LinkedIn is cool,” Musk declared.
Musk’s announcement has generated excitement among many netizens who have grown weary of LinkedIn’s unsolicited sales messages and cumbersome interface.
Verified user Luke Morrison concurred, stating, “Please make it into a simple tool that supports the user, not just the social media company, enabling the user to gather data to create a profile of the employer so they can more easily understand what skills a company wants and so they can understand and target companies more efficiently.”
Another verified user, Yana Maximochkina, expressed anticipation about the prospect of a LinkedIn competitor, saying, “Up until now, it has been the only platform where you can showcase your skills, professional background, clients’ feedback, and just generally get some idea about a person. I look forward to the LinkedIn X competitor.”
Unsurprisingly, even Elon Musk’s popular parody account chimed in, asserting, “LinkedIn is actually the most cringe platform on the internet.”
However, some individuals have voiced grievances about LinkedIn, alleging that they were banned from the platform for seemingly trivial reasons.
Verified X user Ellen Redd-Starseed Oracle shared her experience, saying, “So is @LinkedIn; they banned me for life for saying the word plandemic. And nowhere on their policies did it say I could not say that word. I’m aware that the US government violated my constitutional rights alongside LinkedIn, costing me infinite income.”
Nevertheless, considering that LinkedIn is a platform closely monitored by employers and designed for individuals to showcase themselves to prospective employers, netizens are reminded to exercise caution and discretion when posting.
Adding a touch of humor, some users have drawn comparisons between their LinkedIn and Twitter accounts, highlighting the former’s formality in contrast to the latter’s bold and liberated tone. Additionally, anecdotes about hacked LinkedIn accounts have been shared.
Musk’s intention to create a LinkedIn competitor aligns with his vision for X, which he acquired last year in a historic and controversial deal. Musk recently indicated that the rebranded platform would expand to offer “comprehensive communications and the ability to conduct your entire financial world.”
Musk’s ambitious plans appear to take inspiration from the Chinese super app WeChat, known for seamlessly integrating social media, digital payments, internet browsing, and more within a single app. WeChat has become an indispensable part of daily life in China since its launch in 2011 by tech giant Tencent.
However, Musk’s venture into this territory in the US will face a more complex and competitive market landscape, with established players like TikTok eyeing e-commerce opportunities and Google Pay and Apple Pay enjoying widespread adoption after the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped digital payment habits.
The Daily Netizen 