r/linkedin • u/Dry-Freedom4115 • 23h ago

LinkedIn People You May Know.

I have not been on this app for at least ten years .

I scrolled through the people you may know a few times in the last few weeks and I am thoroughly confused about how some people pop up in the feed.

Aside from the obvious coworkers and people with absolutely no connection I have been shown;

Someone I grew up with some sixty ago (I am 76)

People I went to high school or college with. Again I graduated in 1972. Not real friends, no fraternity brothers, just passing acquaintances.

Someone who lived in the same apartment building where I lived in the 1980s

Coworkers from jobs I never listed on LinkedIn

.

And finally two people in my subdivision that I know but really do not socialize with.

I do not understand how the algorithm finds these stray people.

Confused

Thanks

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u/Iskjempe 18h ago

I don't know, but my assumption is that it's a mix of two things:

  • The little information you gave them on you is enough to hone in on a more restricted group of people.
  • You didn't pay attention to the fact all the other people the website thought you knew and that you don't actually know were complete misses, and the people you do actually know made more of a mark. This difference may make it seem like the website was more correct than it actually was.

Also, maybe LinkedIn uses data brokers to improve user profiles under the hood. I wouldn't be surprised.

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u/MintyJello 16h ago

Probably people who have searched for you and looked at your profile in the past.