What does message with a lock mean on LinkedIn?

A message with a lock icon next to it on LinkedIn indicates that the message is private and secure. When you send a direct message to someone on LinkedIn, you have the option to make it a regular message or a private, encrypted message.

What is a private/encrypted message?

A private or encrypted message on LinkedIn is one that can only be read by you and the recipient. It cannot be forwarded or shared with others. Here are some key things to know about private messages on LinkedIn:

• They have a lock icon next to them in your messages inbox
• You need to enable private messaging in your account settings to send and receive them
• You can start a private thread by clicking the lock icon when composing a new message
• The contents of the message are encrypted and not visible to LinkedIn
• Private messages may have limited visibility on mobile devices depending on OS

Why send a private message?

Here are some common reasons you may want to send a private, encrypted message on LinkedIn rather than a regular message:

• You are sharing sensitive, confidential, or proprietary information
• You are discussing matters private to your network such as job searches or career moves
• You want to limit visibility of your correspondence to only the recipient
• You are concerned about third-party data collection of your messages

How to Send a Private Message

Sending a private message with encryption on LinkedIn is easy. Follow these simple steps:

1. Click the Messaging icon in the top navigation bar
2. Compose a new message to your desired recipient
3. Click the lock icon next to the message field
4. Type your confidential message text
5. Hit send

The lock icon will turn from an outline to solid once encryption is enabled. The recipient will see the lock icon next to your message in their inbox indicating it’s encrypted.

Who Can Send Private Messages?

To exchange encrypted private messages on LinkedIn, both you and the recipient must have the feature enabled. Here’s how it works:

• Free LinkedIn members can receive but not initiate private threads
• Premium Business Plus members can both send and receive private messages
• Upgrading to premium allows members to unlock full private messaging abilities

So if you try to send an encrypted message to a free member, they won’t be able to respond privately without upgrading to premium.

Private Messaging Privacy

LinkedIn uses industry standard encryption protocols to secure private messages. Here are some key privacy aspects:

• Messages are encrypted with TLS 1.2 and AES-256 protocols
• LinkedIn cannot access or view your encrypted message contents
• Messages are decrypted on recipient devices so aren’t stored encrypted by LinkedIn
• You can report privacy violations if you receive unwanted private messages

While LinkedIn doesn’t have access to the content, metadata like sender, recipient, timestamps are visible. But the actual message text and attachments are encrypted.

Troubleshooting Private Messages

Here are some common troubleshooting tips for using private messaging on LinkedIn:

• Make sure you and the recipient have enabled private messaging in settings
• Try reloading the message thread if you don’t see the lock icon
• Check if you can send regular (non-private) messages successfully
• Make sure you’re using the latest version of the LinkedIn mobile app
• Try sending from a desktop if you face issues on mobile

If you are still unable to send or receive private messages, you can contact LinkedIn customer support for help resolving it.

Best Practices

To make the most of LinkedIn’s private messaging feature, keep these best practices in mind:

• Only send confidential information privately that isn’t appropriate for regular messages
• Avoid overusing private messaging which could be seen as suspicious
• Let recipients know if you expect a private reply since free members can’t initiate
• Make sure you have recipient consent before discussing sensitive topics
• Be cautious about what you share as messages aren’t permanently encrypted

Pros and Cons

Private messaging on LinkedIn has some notable advantages but also limitations to be aware of.

Pros

• Enhanced confidentiality compared to regular messages
• Convenient way to share private details within your network
• Reduced risk of third-parties collecting message data
• Helps build trusted relationships for sensitive discussions

Cons

• Not fully end-to-end encrypted like some other platforms
• Both parties must have feature enabled to message privately
• Limited functionality on free LinkedIn accounts
• Metadata like sender and recipient still visible to LinkedIn

Conclusion

In summary, a message with a lock icon next to it in your LinkedIn inbox indicates it is a private, encrypted message that only you and the sender can read. This allows discreet communication of confidential information within your professional network. Both parties need to have private messaging enabled to send secure threads. While not fully anonymous, it does provide enhanced privacy over regular LinkedIn messaging. Understanding how to send and receive private messages will allow you to engage in selective sensitive discussions on the platform while maintaining discretion.