NPR dove into the proliferation of deep-fake generated faces used as LinkedIn profiles. Their investigation quote “found that many of the LinkedIn profiles seem to have a far more mundane purpose: drumming up sales for companies big and small. Accounts send messages to potential customers. Anyone who takes the bait gets connected to a real salesperson who tries to close the deal. Think telemarketing for the digital age.
By using fake profiles, companies can cast a wide net online without beefing up their own sales staff or hitting LinkedIn’s limits on messages. Demand for online sales leads exploded during the pandemic as it became hard for sales teams to pitch their products in person.
More than 70 businesses were listed as employers on these fake profiles. Several told NPR they had hired outside marketers to help with sales. They said they hadn’t authorized any use of computer-generated images, however, and many were surprised to learn about them when NPR asked.
Why do we care?
Earlier this year, the IT Services space had some controversy when a firm created a fake LinkedIn profile on behalf of ConnectWise… which happened to have the same name as a well-known community member.
I bring that up because ConnectWise was surprised by the practice too. They clearly aren’t alone. This speaks to outsourcing in general.
First, as a consumer of outsourced services, a company will need insight into what they paid for. In the end, if your name goes on it, it’s related to you. One isn’t absolved from responsibility by outsourcing.
Second, as producers OF outsourced services, make sure you’re giving enough visibility to your customers on what you do in their name. That’s likely less of a problem for IT services. Although still something to remember as you sell and deliver your own value.