Changes to LinkedIn Connection Download data

How many of you have decided during this lockdown period to spend time on your marketing? As part of your marketing did you decide to download your LinkedIn connections and send them an email to let them know about company updates, new services and offers?
 
I haven’t downloaded my LinkedIn connections for some time, but today when I did just this, I was provided with everything I needed to know about my connections apart from their email address – I understand GDPR but my connections are those people that want to connect with me because they wanted to hear from me - so thank you Linkedin!!

After some research, I have found out that LinkedIn just quietly introduced this new privacy setting that defaults to blocking other users from exporting your email address. The launch of this new setting without warning or even a formal announcement has really been annoying for people like me who have invested lots of time into this professional networking site in the hope of contacting my connections outside of it. My view is that "we are already connected and so you are happy for me to contact you".
 
So basically emails are no longer coming through as part of LinkedIn’s Archive tool for exporting your data. LinkedIn have said that this was done so that your connections could not automatically download your email address.
 
If you take a look at the setting titled ‘Who can download your email’ you’ll see they have added a more detailed setting that defaults to the strongest privacy option. Members can choose to change that setting based on their preference. This gives our members control over who can download their email address via a data export.
 
That new option can be found under Settings & Privacy -> Privacy -> Who Can See My Email Address? This “Allows your connections to download your email [address of user] in their data export?” toggle defaults to “No.” Most users don’t know it exists because LinkedIn didn’t announce it!
 
That means nearly no one’s email addresses will appear in a LinkedIn Archive export any more. Your connections will still be able to see your email address if they visit your profile, but they cannot grab your email address from the connection download option.

On a positive note, this means that you will need to review those you wish to email and spend a little time viewing their profile to find their email address. Your connection will see that you have viewed their profile and they will not then be too surprised to receive your personalised email.

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