LinkedIn blocked due Meshtastic video in private chat
LinkedIn reportedly removed a private message and restricted an account after the user shared a YouTube video about Meshtastic, labeling it “adult nudity and sexual activity,” likely due to an overzealous automated content filter tripping on technical terms like “edge.” Commenters use the incident to highlight growing unease with AI-based scanning of private communications, the opacity of moderation systems, and the lack of meaningful appeals when accounts are wrongly limited or closed. Many broaden the critique to the risks of relying on large platforms such as LinkedIn, Google, and Amazon for essential communication and work, advocating for owning domains, maintaining backups, and seeking less centralized alternatives.
Content flagging incident
- A Meshtastic-related YouTube video shared via LinkedIn DM was removed with a standard “adult nudity and sexual activity” notice.
- Many see this as a clear false positive, likely triggered by keyword or naive AI (e.g., “edge/edging”), comparing it to the classic “Scunthorpe problem.”
- Some argue the broader political context (Ukraine, mesh networking) is irrelevant; the simplest explanation is a bad classifier plus generic violation messaging.
- Others note LinkedIn ToS issues: multiple personal accounts and using a project name as a “person” profile are arguably against the rules and could interact badly with automated systems.
Automated moderation, scanning, and surveillance
- Strong criticism of blanket AI scanning of private messages; several call it “WeChat-style” surveillance and argue moderation should be user-report based.
- Counterpoint: platforms feel compelled to scan to avoid liability and political backlash about CSAM and other abuse.
- Apple’s abandoned on-device CSAM hashing is debated: some conflate it with AI scanning, others stress it was limited to known hashes with multiple-hit thresholds and human review.
- A NYT case of Google flagging benign child medical photos as abuse is cited as evidence that similar systems already cause severe harm.
Account lockouts and platform dependence
- Many share stories of permanent or near-permanent lockouts from Gmail, YouTube, Amazon, Instagram, Reddit, ISPs, and phone numbers, often due to opaque automated flags or process bugs.
- Common theme: recovery is Kafkaesque; effective recourse is often limited to personal connections inside the company or public outrage (e.g., HN front page).
- Suggested mitigations: own domains for email, independent mail hosting (Fastmail, etc.), local backups via IMAP/clients, avoiding single points of failure (e.g., one phone number or cloud provider).
LinkedIn’s role and culture
- Mixed views on LinkedIn’s importance: some see it as critical for job search and networking; others have abandoned it with no perceived career harm.
- Broad dissatisfaction with its “feed”: influencer-style humblebrags, corporate self-help content, and engagement-bait are seen as overwhelming any professional value.
- Some use LinkedIn narrowly (CV host, contact list, recruiter DMs, job board) while muting/hiding the social content, and call for a better, less “enshittified” professional network.