Members-Only and Open Groups - Overview

What are the differences between members-only groups and open groups?

Last Updated: 02/07/2011
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The main difference is who can see the discussions. Members-only group discussions can only be seen by other group members. Open group discussions can be seen by anyone on the web and can be shared on other social networking platforms.

In members-only groups:

  • There's a padlock icon next to the group name.
  • You must be a LinkedIn member to join.
  • Discussions won't show up in search engine results.
  • Discussions are visible to group members only.
  • The group manager has the option to switch to an open group. This change can only be made once and cannot be undone. Members are notified if the group is switched to an open group.
In open groups:

  • There isn't a padlock icon next to the group name.
  • You must be a LinkedIn member to join.
  • Discussions created before switching to an open group are archived and visible to group members only.
  • Discussions created after switching to an open group are searchable and visible to anyone on the web.
  • Discussions can be shared using social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.
  • Group managers have the option to allow LinkedIn members who aren't group members to contribute.
Note: Currently, subgroups can't be open groups but we're considering this option for the future.

If you don't want to be in an open group, you can leave the group at any time.

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