Here’s how to make sure you don’t see your musty old Tinder exes on LinkedIn

There are three places in this social media landscape I never want to see my Tinder exes: my Instagram DMs, Craigslist Missed Connections (RIP), and LinkedIn.

But in a way, LinkedIn is the worst. LinkedIn is a place for networking!! I want to be able to lie about myself without people who know me IRL judging my lies, you know? You've watched me down four glasses of Chardonnay in a single date while whining about my inability to hold down a job. I can't have you here.

So how can we avoid them on this platform?! Here's how:

Recognize that none of your info is personal

Just because you never added one another on FB, or exchanged numbers doesn't mean you're safe from an uncomfortable run-in in the "people you may know" section of LinkedIn.

Here's who can see YOU

It's anyone that shares connections with you, anyone in your email contacts list, anyone you’ve searched for on LinkedIn, anyone who has searched for you on LinkedIn, and anyone you’ve Googled while your browser was logged into LinkedIn.

So if you've ever online stalked someone before a first date, it's game over, even if you were logged out of LinkedIn at the time.

Now comes the cleanse

Head to the people you know section of your LinkedIn profile, and remove anyone you wish you weren't seeing in there.

Once they are gone from your list, they won't be able to show up again.

Last, change your contacts and visibility settings

After updating your own mobile and email contacts, you'll need to change your contact and visibility settings, because your Tinder ex may have you as a contact. The steps:

1. Set both of these to “Nobody” or “2nd-degree connections” so they're required to have a common connection to to be able to see you.

2. Disable all third party access on the app

3. Settings >> ads >> third party data >> disable everything tab by tab.

Aside from this, you're on your own. You reap what you sow, and you chose local Tinder.

@carolinephinney