Why is LinkedIn buying fact-checking patents?

LinkedIn is acquiring patents that seemingly have nothing to do with the service it provides…does this mean there’s something new up its sleeve?

LinkedIn has quietly purchased no less than eight patents related to fact checking, journalism institute Poynter reports. The news has perked journalists’ ears because fact checking is traditionally related to news reporting, and it has many asking what exactly the Silicon Valley company plans to do that involves fact checking.

The professional networking company would not comment on the patents or mention the cost of the patents, telling Poynter it was a routine patent acquisition.
The patents focus on fact checking methods for use with cameras, emails, social media, websites, and news aggregators.

Could it be that LinkedIn will use the patents in a way that would benefit recruiting processes? The methods could potentially be used to verify information on profiles. The other potential use would be for LinkedIn’s blooming publishing platform, and its content curation on Pulse and LinkedIn Today.

The company has been releasing new HR products constantly over the past year, and recently announced a new milestone of 300million members.

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