Recent discussions on LinkedIn have centered on gender visibility among users, with some claiming that altering their profile to identify as male led to increased engagement. A collective experiment conducted by several women on the platform emerged after observations suggested that changing their gender to “male” or adopting more traditionally masculine language in their profiles resulted in greater visibility.
Participants in the experiment noted significant increases in profile views and post impressions. For example, one user reported a 1,600% rise in views and a 1,300% increase in impressions after changing her gender and adopting “bro-coded” terminology, which includes action-oriented buzzwords typically associated with male users. These anecdotal experiences have raised concerns about potential biases within LinkedIn’s algorithm, suggesting that male users may receive more visibility for similar content.
LinkedIn’s algorithm aims to prioritize content based on numerous signals rather than demographic information, according to a company spokesperson. However, many users have reported declines in visibility, particularly women and people of color, suggesting possible algorithmic biases. In a recent blog post, LinkedIn acknowledged that a higher volume of content could be impacting visibility, not necessarily demographics.
Some users reported mixed experiences, with one noting an immediate increase in reach after adjusting her profile, while another experienced a decline in engagement despite similar changes. These variations point to complex interactions between user behavior and algorithmic outputs.
The findings from these LinkedIn experiments highlight broader societal issues regarding gender representation and visibility in professional spaces. LinkedIn’s algorithms are regularly evaluated, including checks for disparities, yet the effectiveness of these measures is questioned by many users experiencing decreased engagement. The ongoing discourse reflects the platform’s evolving nature in the intersection of business and social networking.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/nov/22/bro-boost-women-find-linkedin-traffic-drives-if-they-pretend-to-be-men