LinkedIn Isn’t Too Bright
LinkedIn isn’t a web service that I generally use — I remember signing up for it a few years ago and, since then, just give a cursory glance to the newsletters that appear in my in box. So-and-so has changed jobs and so-and-so is now linked to someone else. Never really gave it much more thought that making sure these notes didn’t get tossed as spam. However, about six months ago, I went to login and found a bright red message appear after hitting “enter” once I provided my credentials. The messages indicated that “This Account has been Suspended”.
Naturally, I assumed that my password was incorrect since it had been so long since I had logged in before, however, even after resetting the password, the messages remained the same. “This Account has been suspended”
So, now it was on to customer support. After three attempts to email customer service (since my first two attempts at contact went unreplied to), I finally received a message as to what was going on. I was told:
The U.S. Government has in place export control and economic sanctions laws and regulations, which prohibit U.S. companies, like LinkedIn, from engaging in certain transactions with persons from several designated countries, including Sudan.
It is LinkedIn’s corporate policy to comply with laws and regulations of the United States and other countries where we do business. Failure to comply with U.S. export control and economic sanctions laws and regulations can result in criminal and civil fines and penalties, for both the Company and any individuals involved.
Now, this is nothing really new to me. While in Khartoum, I had found a number of US-based websites had similar restrictions when the country of Sudan is involved: one can’t download Google programs like Google Earth (but you can use it if it hadn’t been previously installed), certain video content sites can’t be accessed (like Hulu), and so on.
But, consider this. I live in Southern Sudan which does not have an in-country internet infrastructure (unlike the North of the Sudan like Khartoum). What this means, is that almost all internet is provided by outside companys that give you a satellite dish and then provide connectivity from another country’s allotment of IP addresses. So, while I am at work, it appears to the world that I am connecting from Kenya and when at my “house” it appears I am connecting from Uganda. So, why does LinkedIn think I am in the Sudan?
The only think I could think of is that I may have indicated in my job profile that I worked for a company that is based in Sudan (which is true – our DC-based company opened a “branch” in Sudan so that we could operated legally here). In an effort to explain this to the customer service people at LinkedIn, I sent a lengthy explanation of how development companies work in places like Sudan, that I am an American citizen and that I am often not in Sudan (which, is a bit of a stretch, but not really since I head out for an R&R every 4 months or so). I even sent a copy of my passport and birth certificate (yes, I keep copies on hand. As we all should).
Their reply? Classic:
Thank you for your reply. Once you have left Sudan, you will be able to use your account. Please message us at privacy@linkedin.com when you have changed location.
If you have further questions, please feel free to reply to this message.
Honestly, I just don’t get it. So, all I have to do is tell them “I’m not in Sudan” and I can get my access back? Does this make sense to anyone? It really makes me wonder how 1) they determine that I am IN Sudan and then 2) when I am NOT IN Sudan.
Quite honestly, I don’t think this LinkedIn thing is really worth the aggravation. If anyone reading this article can give me some reasons why I shouldn’t just leave this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Otherwise, I’m in the mood where I am willing to say, thanks, but no thanks. Your rules make no sense and I don’t want to trust my career path to a organization that can’t even figure out where I am.
