LinkedIn bans prostitutes from networking

Professional networking site LinkedIn's user agreement has outlawed sex workers from using the platform for promoting escort services or prostitution.

LinkedIn has advised its 225 million members to view changes to its service terms and conditions on the site, News.com.au reports.

Prostitution and escort services promotions have become rarely discoverable since the agreement rules have explicitly 'clarified' that even legal prostitution is not allowed on the site.

LinkedIn's head of communications for the region, Tara Commerford said that their user agreement has always been against the promotion of world's oldest profession of escort or prostitution services, adding that the revised privacy policy of the site has made it even clearer and simpler to read.

LinkedIn's director of corporate communications Hani Durzy has urged community members to report any breach of the user agreement violation as he fears that lots of prostitution and escort service promotions are taking place on the site.

However, owner of several legal Nevada brothels Dennis Hof said that he is licensed for the business and many of his employees have LinkedIn accounts.

Editor-in-Chief of ReadWrite Owen Thomas said that the term 'escorts' on LinkedIn prompts the user to search for terms such as female escorts, independent escorts, call girls, hot girls, adult entertainment, escort services and Dubai escorts.

While the site commits to 'putting its members first', IT Manager Paul Antturi said that using the site means the user has given up on all his rights (except to use the site) but retains all the risk that might result from the existence of the account.