LinkedIn has caused quite a storm within the past couple of days. They removed the option to instantly download contacts. Any user of the popular professional social network, one of over one million, were more than a little annoyed to find that while contact exporting was still available, a wait of up to three days has now been implemented.
LINKEDIN USERS HAVE MADE IT CLEAR ON TWITTER THAT THEY DON’T LIKE THIS
LinkedIn users have since been upset by the fact that change was implemented without any announcements or warnings. However, the company has since managed to turn this around by quickly after listening to a long stream of complaints on Twitter.
Previously, the “export contact” feature provided ease to users because it allowed them to export details such as names, phone numbers, email addresses, and uploaded documents, in both CSV and VCF formats. LinkedIn says that users will receive an email within the next 72 hours containing a link to download the archive when it is ready.
LINKEDIN VP OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT EXPLAINED ON TWITTER
LinkedIn’s VP of Product Management explained later that the removal of the regular download option was part of their ongoing efforts to combat the incorrect exporting of member’s data by third parties. However, as a result of the member uproar, the instant CSV exporting is back, but users are not sure for how long. LinkedIn’s customer service team announced that the return of the instant download option is not going to be around in its current form forever and it will disappear again only when the alternative download methods are sped up.
LINKEDIN: GOAL IS TO MAKE INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN MINUTES
They also said that their goal is to make as much of the information, including connection information, available within minutes. They will keep the CSV connections tools available until they can reach that goal. Other data items will also be extended in an archive that might take longer to process. They will then turn off the tool again as a part of their ongoing efforts. It is not clear what the form future changes will take or when they might be implemented. For now, instant contacts exporting is back, for now.
