LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 830 million members. While it can be immensely valuable for networking, business leads, and career opportunities, many people want to browse LinkedIn profiles anonymously without revealing their own identity. There are legitimate reasons for wanting anonymity – avoiding sales pitches, keeping your job search discreet, reviewing someone’s background before contacting them, etc.
Unfortunately LinkedIn doesn’t have a true “incognito” mode like some browsers offer. Your profile views will show up on the other person’s account. However, there are still several techniques you can use to obscure your identity and maintain privacy when viewing LinkedIn profiles.
Techniques to Browse Anonymously
Use a Secondary Account
The simplest way to view LinkedIn profiles without revealing your main identity is to create a secondary “burner” account. Use an alternate email address and don’t connect it to your primary profile in any way. This anonymous account can be used to browse as needed without connections, views, and searches getting tracked back to you.
Of course, this means you won’t be able to access your main account’s connections and network on the burner profile. But it serves well for basic lurking needs.
Appear as “Anonymous” on Profile Views
Even if you browse LinkedIn profiles while logged into your real account, you can still avoid showing your name and photo on the other user’s visitors list.
To do this, go to your account settings and toggle your viewer information to “Anonymous”. This will obscure your identity on all profile views moving forward. The user will still see an anonymous visitor, but without name or photo details.
Use LinkedIn’s Private Mode
LinkedIn recentlyintroduced a private mode that lets you browse more discreetly in a temporary session. Turning on private mode hides your name and photo from showing up when you view someone’s profile. It also prevents your search and viewing activity from being used for advertising targeting.
To enable private mode:
1. Click on your profile photo in the top right of the LinkedIn toolbar.
2. Select “Turn on private mode”.
This will open an incognito-like session where your activity is more private. Remember to turn private mode off when you’re done browsing anonymously.
Block Specific Connections from Seeing Your Views
If you only want to hide your identity from specific connections when viewing their profiles, LinkedIn allows for that too.
You can block individual connections from seeing your profile views and activity. To do so:
1. Go to the profile you want to view anonymously.
2. Click on the “More” icon in the top right.
3. Select “Block [Name]”.
This will prevent the user from being notified when you visit their profile moving forward. Allowing you to lurk undetected.
Use a LinkedIn Viewer Tool
Several third-party tools exist that let you check LinkedIn profiles without the other user knowing. These tools essentially function as an anonymous proxy you can view LinkedIn through.
Some recommended anonymous LinkedIn viewer options include:
– **LinkedIn Viewer** – Browser extension that removes your identity from profile views.
– **SpyFly** – Lets you anonymously view LinkedIn profiles and user activity.
– **LinkedIn Profile Checker** – Web tool and Chrome extension for private browsing.
– **ILinked** – Viewer app and browser add-on that hides your profile details.
Most of these tools work by obscuring your LinkedIn session data when viewing profiles, preventing your account info from being visible to the profile owner.
Use a VPN or Proxy Service
Virtual private networks (VPNs) and proxy servers allow you to route your internet traffic through an intermediary server, masking your IP address and location. This prevents the sites you visit from detecting your actual identity.
Setting up a VPN or proxy before browsing LinkedIn profiles adds an extra layer of anonymity to your web traffic. The other user will not be able to see details like your location or IP address that could identify you.
Some affordable and reputable VPN providers to consider are NordVPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and TunnelBear.
Use an Anonymous LinkedIn Viewer Website
For quick one-off anonymous profile viewing, you can use various websites that offer free anonymous LinkedIn viewing services.
These sites allow entering a LinkedIn profile URL and generating an anonymous preview of the profile. Popular options include:
– InSpyder.com
– peekYou.com
– LookupPlanet.com
While handy, be aware these sites may have limiting factors like partial profile views, forced signups, ads, etc. Useful for a quick glance without an account but not robust for in-depth research.
Search Google for a Public Profile Preview
Many LinkedIn accounts have at least portions of their profile indexed publicly on Google search. You can look up a person’s name on Google and frequently see a preview of their LinkedIn bio, experience, skills, etc.
This allows an anonymous glance at some of their profile details without viewing the full account while signed into LinkedIn. However, Google only indexes limited public information. So researching connections, viewing updates, and accessing contact info will still require viewing the actual private profile.
Use an Alternate Browser or Device
Your LinkedIn browsing activity is largely tracked through cookies stored in your web browser and on the device you’re using. Using an alternate web browser like Firefox or Chrome’s Incognito Mode limits these cookies, preventing tracking.
Similarly, viewing profiles from a separate mobile device or computer prevents activity leaks from your primary accounts. This adds a further layer of identity protection when browsing anonymously.
Things to Avoid
There are also some common mistakes people make that undermine anonymous LinkedIn browsing, including:
– Logging in on a shared computer with your account still open. Always fully log out!
– Browsing while logged into your account on any device. Use an alternate account or privacy mode.
– Saving login cookies or autofill permissions on a device. Clear all LinkedIn cookies after anonymous browsing.
– Connecting your anonymous burner account to any main accounts. Never link them together.
– Browsing profiles while sync’d to tools like Metcalfe or LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Disable all browser extensions.
– Interacting with profiles through likes, comments, messages, etc. This leaves traces of your activity and identity.
Avoiding these kinds of links back to your real identity is crucial for browsing LinkedIn 100% anonymously.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
While wanting to maintain privacy on public profiles is understandable, keep in mind:
– Stalking, scraping data, or accessing non-public info about someone without consent may be illegal. Don’t abuse anonymity tools.
– Repeatedly viewing someone’s profile who has asked you to stop could be harassment. Respect people’s boundaries.
– Using anonymity to misrepresent yourself, spread misinformation, or gain sensitive intel may be unethical.
As with any technology, use good judgement and discretion when deciding to view LinkedIn profiles anonymously.
Conclusion
LinkedIn provides invaluable professional connections and insights but sometimes you want to lurk without leaving a trace.
Fortunately there are many options – from burner accounts to private browsing to third party tools – that allow obscuring your identity and browsing anonymously. Taking advantage of these private viewing techniques lets you get the intel you need from LinkedIn profiles without revealing yourself.
Just be sure to avoid common mistakes that expose your identity, and browse ethically within the boundaries of personal privacy and consent. With the right approach, you can easily become an invisible lurker and anonymously view any LinkedIn profiles that may benefit your career or business.
