This is… a more questionable decision from LinkedIn more than anything. Last month, LinkedIn launched the first iteration of its new ‘Repost’ option on Feed updates, which provides a simple way to help amplify a post to your LinkedIn audience. Such could prove highly useful in alerting your network to new job opportunities, industry-specific trend reports, great creators, and more.

What’s The Standard?

However, as noted previously, the process could also be problematic, in that it’ll enable quick amplification of criticisms and negative comments. THIS might even worsen it. As seen in the example posted by app researcher Nima Owji, LinkedIn is now looking to take its Repost option to the next level, by essentially making it the default option, complete with its own icon on the lower function bar.

It does make sense, in some ways. Right now, your post engagement options are ‘Like’, ‘Comment’, ‘Share’, and ‘Send’, with the latter providing the option to share the post via LinkedIn Message. The ‘Share’ option prompts you to either repost the update or ‘share your thoughts’, i.e. create a post with the update attached.

Essentially, updating that to ‘Report’ isn’t really a major change. It could even make it easier for users to amplify their content in the app or ask their followers to amplify others’ posts by re-sharing, maximizing reach.

The change here likely suggests that more people are simply reposting content anyway, hence LinkedIn’s decision to make it the default. Still, it can’t be helped if there are hesitations based on past implementations of the same. Back in 2019, the man who invented Twitter’s ‘Retweet’ option, Chris Wetherell, said that he regretted the feature in retrospect after seeing how it could be used to amplify criticisms and negative outlooks. Former CEO Jack Dorsey also has reservations about the option. At the time, Dorsey said:

“We’re definitely thinking about the incentives and ramifications of all actions, including retweet. Retweet with comment for instance might encourage more consideration before spread.”

The Wrap

So while other apps try to mitigate the issues caused by direct re-sharing, LinkedIn seemingly leans on it, which is likely motivated by its desire to maximize user engagement, as opposed to just considering the potential impacts of such within the app.

How much value this adds exactly can’t be easily determined, especially when compared to straight-up just juicing engagement. In any event, LinkedIn seems to want to push forward with it, possibly affecting how people interact on the platform. Check out LinkedIn’s Help Section to get a better understanding of its Repost icon.

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Sources 

https://bit.ly/3cv06Pj