Is viewing your a senior colleague’s LinkedIn profile offensive? Reddit post sparks debate on workplace boundaries
A seemingly normal action on LinkedIn — viewing a colleague’s profile — has stirred an unexpected debate about unspoken boundaries and toxic hierarchies in Indian workplaces.The issue came to light when an employee shared his experience on the social media platform Reddit, describing how he became the target of a disapproving comment from a senior after merely browsing their LinkedIn page. He had not sent any messages or connection requests, but just visited the profile casually.The incident resonated with hundreds of professionals online who have faced similarly awkward dynamics in rigid workplace hierarchies, according to a report by Economic Times.The LinkedIn paradoxLinkedIn is built to encourage visibility, networking, and professional curiosity. By default, users are notified when someone views their profile unless the viewer uses private mode. This transparency is intended to foster connection, not suspicion.Yet, the employee’s experience of discomfort after using the platform as intended raised eyebrows. Many Reddit users defended the action and found the senior’s reaction out of proportion.Some users commented on the irony of treating a profile view as an overstep, especially on a platform made for professional visibility. Others questioned whether the issue was less about LinkedIn and more about deeper power dynamics at play.A reflection on modern workplace culture?The incident sparked wider conversations about the invisible social rules in many offices, especially how they can make perfectly acceptable actions feel uncomfortable or wrong.It also highlighted how some professionals continue to uphold outdated notions of hierarchy, even on platforms like LinkedIn that are designed to foster openness and collaboration.In the end, the conversation became less about a single LinkedIn view and more about how modern workplaces handle curiosity, visibility, and power, and whether such traits should still be policed in an increasingly transparent professional world, added the Economic Times.
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