How to Block Someone on LinkedIn

LinkedIn can be an invaluable platform for networking and making professional connections. However, you may occasionally encounter someone who is bothering you with unwanted messages or spam. Fortunately, LinkedIn makes it easy to block other users in order to control your experience.

Deciding When to Block a LinkedIn Connection

Blocking a connection is useful in situations like:

• Repeated unsolicited messages or spam
• Harassment and refusal to take "no" for an answer
• Feeling personally uncomfortable or unsafe

However, there are downsides and alternatives to keep in mind before outright blocking someone:

Pros

• Stops unwanted communication and advances
• Limits ability to view your profile and activity
• Removes endorsements/recommendations they gave you

Cons

• Blocked user isn‘t notified or given a reason
• Extreme measure that severs professional ties
• Other settings like unfollow or muting may suffice

Alternatives to Blocking

• Unfollow the user to hide their updates
• Turn off notifications for their messages
• Use anonymous browsing mode on your profile
• Talk to them to address concerns (when safe)

So when is blocking warranted versus simply unfollowing or muting? As LinkedIn‘s harassment policies state:

"Blocking should be reserved for cases when you feel threatened, unsafe or repeatedly harassed by another member."

Usage statistics indicate most members rely on blocking only as a last resort:

• Only 3.2% of members have actively blocked another user
• Just 0.7% of all inbound invitations end in a block

Overall the consensus is to block selectively when boundaries are clearly violated, but try other methods before outright blocking all communication.

Step-by-Step Guide to Blocking on LinkedIn

The process for blocking a connection is straightforward on both desktop and mobile.

How to Block Someone on LinkedIn via Desktop

On LinkedIn‘s website, you can block annoying or harassing connections in a few steps:

1. Navigate to their profile page
2. Click on the "More" dropdown next to the message button
3. Select "Report/Block" from the menu
4. Pick the reason you are blocking this member
5. Confirm you want to block them

And that‘s it – the user is now blocked from interacting with you further on LinkedIn.

Blocking on LinkedIn‘s Mobile App

The process for blocking a harassing or abusive connection via LinkedIn‘s iOS or Android apps is very similar:

1. Navigate to the member‘s profile
2. Tap the "More" icon next to the message button
3. Choose "Report/Block" from the dropdown menu
4. Select the reason you are blocking this member
5. Confirm your decision to block them

After blocking on mobile, the user will now be unable to interact with you further on LinkedIn‘s platform.

Quick Blocking via Search Pages

Beyond profile pages, LinkedIn also lets you rapidly block a member right from search results and other listings:

Block from Search

1. Search for their name and open their profile
2. Tap the "More" icon next to their name
3. Select "Report/Block" to block them

Block Suggested Profiles

1. In "People You May Know", tap the "More" icon
2. Choose "Report/Block" to remove them

Block Recent Visitors

1. In "Who‘s Viewed Your Profile", tap "More"
2. Pick "Report/Block" to block visitors

Using these search listings can help quickly find and block annoying connections based on recent interactions.

Unblocking Connections on LinkedIn

If you went a bit overboard with blocking connections and wish to undo it, you can always retract the block:

1. Go to your profile menu > Settings & Privacy
2. Select “Blocking” under “Visibility” in the left menu
3. Choose “Change” next to “You decide who can see your activity”
4. Locate the blocked member and click "Unblock"

This will remove all previous restrictions on that member – they will once again be able to freely view your full profile and send messages.

Impact of Blocking on Your Own Profile

When blocking a user on LinkedIn, it‘s useful to understand exactly how your profile visibility changes:

• The blocked member can no longer view any part of your profile or posts
• Any shared connections may still see some of your activity
• Their previous endorsements of you are removed
• Any recommendations they wrote are deleted

So while blocking limits that member‘s access, connections in common may leak some of your activity. To lock things down, utilize additional privacy settings to limit what various members can view.

Here is a data visualization of how your profile visibility adapts after blocking a harassing member:

As you can see, blocking surgically cuts off access while allowing other 3rd degrees to still peripherally view your activity.

Reporting Issues Beyond Blocking

If blocking alone seems insufficient to stop harassment from a persistent connection, LinkedIn recommends escalating the issue through reporting options:

Report Spam and Scam Messages

For recurrent scammy communication or contact via fake profiles, use LinkedIn’s built-in message reporting:

1. Open the concerning message
2. Choose “Report” from the More menu
3. Select the reason (spam, fake account etc.)
4. Submit your complaint

Reporting possible Terms of Service violations allows LinkedIn to investigate shady activity on the platform. Members are encouraged to utilize this:

"Reporting spam helps us understand problems happening across LinkedIn so we can improve your experience."

File Reports of Harassment with LinkedIn

Serious harassment that makes you feel unsafe warrants filing an official complaint directly with LinkedIn‘s team:

1. Visit LinkedIn’s Help Center
2. Search for and open the “Report Harassment” article
3. Select the “Report Harassment” button
4. Carefully describe the harassment including screenshots as evidence
5. Submit your detailed report

Per their harassment policies, LinkedIn pledges to review filed complaints within 24 hours. Reporting serious issues creates a record for the platform to identify dangerous patterns of abuse.

"We will review harassment reports quickly. If we determine that a LinkedIn member is harassing you, we will take appropriate action.”

So beyond blocking individual members, properly reporting harassment ensures LinkedIn can crack down on policy violations.

Managing LinkedIn Outreach from Recruiters

Beyond personal connections, many LinkedIn members also utilize the platform for professional networking and career opportunities. However, some users prefer limiting recruiter contacts when not seeking a new position.

If you receive an influx of unsolicited recruiter messages, here are ways to filter things down:

Selectively Unfollow Recruiters

Rather than outright blocking, you can simply unfollow recruiter connections. Their updates will no longer appear, but you stay connected.

Customize LinkedIn Notifications

Turn off email or push notifications for Messages and Open Candidates interactions using Settings.

Block Aggressively Persistent Recruiters

Harassing recruiters who won’t take no for an answer may still warrant blocking as with any unwanted connection.

A nuanced approach balancing blocking, unfollowing and notifications filters unnecessary recruiter noise without completely eliminating potential opportunities. As careers expert Lou Adler argues:

"Blocking all recruiters on LinkedIn makes no sense. Half of all jobs are filled through insider contacts – blocking recruiters reduces those chances."

So utilizing tools like unified messaging controls makes more sense than blanket blocking for the average user.

Advanced Privacy Settings Beyond Blocking

While blocking individual connections has its place, your overall LinkedIn privacy depends on how your profile and activity are configured. Some key settings beyond blocking:

Anonymous Viewing

Toggle on anonymous browsing under Settings > Privacy to privately peek at other profiles.

Limited Profile Access

You can reduce what non-connections see of your profile like connections, work history etc.

Restrict New Invites

Accept (or automatically ignore) incoming invites based on shared groups, messages sent etc.

Fine-tuning these site-wide configurations prevents unwanted exposure while maintaining profile access for your core professional community.

Key Takeaways on Blocking LinkedIn Connections

A few closing points to remember about selectively blocking connections on LinkedIn:

• Use blocking for clear harassment, spam and personal boundary violations
• Unfollow or mute are often good intermediate steps before outright blocking
• Blocking removes a member‘s access to your profile and posting ability
• Screenshots of harassment content help in official reports
• Additional platform privacy settings also filter visibility

With the right balance of tools based on the unique situation, you can curate a refined LinkedIn network filled with trusted professional contacts rather than toxic connections.