LinkedIn is basically an online resume favored by aggressive recruiters and the relentless, always-networking MBA set. But for some teens nationwide, it’s currently the hot social media platform right now, says Anya Kamenetz, a writer focused on parenting and youth development.
“I want to emphasize that this is a fringe of teenagers. … I had been interviewing a broad range of teenagers about their social media experiences. And I was surprised by how often LinkedIn came up. And so when I started looking into it more, I realized … it is a minority of teenagers who are really focused on their futures,” she tells KCRW. “They're high achievers, they might be overachievers, they are interested in internships, they are starting their own podcasts, they are applying to Ivy League schools and getting in.”
The appeal: Less chaos than other social media platforms, and an extremely professional and positive tone.
She gives an example of one teenager she spoke with: “He's like, ‘Look, I live in deep red Kentucky. When I go on Facebook, it's misinformation. … I just see people who are mired in horrible feelings and bad ideas. And when I go on LinkedIn, it's so positive, and it's so wholesome. … This is how social media should be.’”
Kamenetz says LinkedIn told her that Gen Z is among the fastest-growing demographics on the site, and posts grew 41% between spring 2021 and spring 2023.
Kamenetz points out that on the one hand, she’s happy to see teens following their interests, finding mentors, and getting connected with opportunities. In a way, LinkedIn can level the playing field. “There's kids who come from not necessarily wealthy or well-connected backgrounds, but they can use LinkedIn to make up for not having a rich uncle who can get them a job.”
“On the other hand,” she continues, “yeah, I would love to see them out there having fun and enjoying their youth and not necessarily feeling like they have to sell themselves in this way.”
In terms of safety, the site has no parental controls. “It has not been on the radar of LinkedIn that they would need those.”
Officials also sent Kamenetz their general harassment policy, and she says she got real stories of teens who felt that some adults made inappropriate contact, but there are tools to mute or block them.
“On the baseline, the teenagers that I talked to … some of them really love LinkedIn. A lot of them just see it as really useful. It's utility. It's safe. It's easy. It feels a little transactional sometimes, but it's getting me where I need to go.”