LinkedIn adds tools to verify work histories and identities

LinkedIn has announced new tools to verify members’ work and education histories, let companies remove false employment associations from their pages and share identity signals with partner services. The changes include member confirmations, expanded company controls and a test of workplace verification for people claiming current employment at participating organizations. Under the new feature, members can confirm that a connection worked or studied with them during a period listed on that person’s profile. LinkedIn says the confirmation verifies the relationship, not the person’s skills or job performance. To provide one, a member must have a verified profile, have been connected to the other person for at least a year and use two-factor authentication. LinkedIn may add a verification badge after a profile receives enough confirmations. One account of the rollout said members can opt out of the badge; LinkedIn has also said it plans to let members request confirmations directly. The company is expanding controls for administrators of verified company pages.