Ghost Data: Deleted LinkedIn Profile Info Still Haunts the Platform

Discovering Persistent Data on LinkedIn After Profile Deletion

While exploring how LinkedIn handles user data, I found a surprising issue: even after deleting personal information from my profile, some of that data still appeared internally on the platform.

Description of the Issue

I removed all personal details from my LinkedIn profile — including my bio, job history, and other sensitive information. Despite this, an old company name I had worked for, “That Wild Arc Studio,” still showed up in the “Add to Featured” section when I was managing my profile.

This data wasn’t visible publicly on my profile, and visitors couldn’t access it. However, LinkedIn’s internal system was still surfacing this supposedly deleted information in suggestions and feature prompts.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Log into LinkedIn and remove or delete personal and professional information from your profile, such as job history and bio.

  2. Navigate to the “Add to Featured” section or similar areas in your profile settings.

  3. Observe if deleted data like past employers or other details still appear as suggestions or previews.

Security and Privacy Impact

This behavior poses several privacy concerns:

  • Data Persistence Beyond User Control: Users expect that once they delete information, it is permanently removed—not just hidden or obscured.

  • Unintended Data Exposure Internally: Even if not public, resurfacing deleted data inside platform features increases risk of accidental exposure.

  • User Trust Erosion: Users rely on platforms to respect their data deletion requests fully. When data lingers, trust in the platform weakens.

  • Potential Compliance Issues: In regions with data protection laws, incomplete deletion could lead to regulatory risks.

Business Impact

If platforms don’t fully delete user data as expected:

  • Users might be less willing to share accurate or complete information.

  • Negative perceptions about privacy handling could damage LinkedIn’s reputation.

  • There is increased risk of complaints or legal action related to data retention practices.

Conclusion

This discovery reminded me how important thorough data deletion is for user privacy and trust. When people remove personal information, they expect it gone everywhere—not just out of sight. LinkedIn’s lingering data highlights the need for platforms to be more transparent and effective in how they erase user information.

I hope this encourages platforms to strengthen their data management practices, ensuring user control and privacy are fully respected.


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