LinkedIn introduces new ID verification feature for Indian users

Professional social networking platform LinkedIn has introduced its identity verification feature for Indian users.

“Having an ID verification means that the individual’s government-issued ID is verified by one of LinkedIn’s verification partners,” Ashutosh Gupta, Country Manager at LinkedIn India, said in a blog post on Wednesday.

The verification will be carried out by HyperVerge, a third-party company that leverages DigiLocker, a digital wallet for government IDs including Aadhaar. The ID verification is available for users with a valid Aadhaar number and an Indian phone number.

LinkedIn, which has more than 100 million users in India, said in the blog post the voluntary verification will help in building trust within the professional community.

"We believe verification should be for everyone on LinkedIn, that’s why this feature will be available and free to all our eligible members in India. On LinkedIn, when you show that you're the real you, you'll have an even greater chance of finding the professional opportunities that matter to you and your community,” Gupta said.

The social networking platform explains how it works. For example, users can visit the "About this profile" section on their LinkedIn profile and click on ‘Verify with Aadhaar’ to initiate the verification process. They need to enter their Aadhaar number on the Digilocker screen. They will receive an OTP on their registered mobile number and there will be instant verification by Hyperverge using DigiLocker.

The blog post further stated that LinkedIn does not have access to any sensitive data from users' Aadhaar ID. LinkedIn only receives a user’s name, city (state and country), and year of birth. That information is not visible to others and LinkedIn may use it for security purposes.

LinkedIn will also not have access to documents in members' Digilocker accounts,” it said.

If a user doesn’t have Aadhaar, they can still verify their identity on LinkedIn using different methods. One can choose to verify through work email, or workplace credentials. If you are starting the search for a new job, verified information about a job poster or their company can help you to confidently connect with them and explore authentic opportunities, said the post.

The feature is currently available to select companies globally and will gradually be rolled out for wider use in India.

As per LinkedIn’s official website’s ‘about us’ page, till March 2023, the platform has 930 million members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

In April, the company launched the ID verification in the US and said that it plans to roll out this feature to other regions soon. In the US, LinkedIn partnered with Clear, a secure identity platform, to provide verification for its members in the country.