Exclusive: LinkedIn aims to close “network gap”

LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner will announce a new effort Thursday to close what he calls the “network gap” — the advantage some people have based on who they know, company executives tell Axios’ Sara Fischer.

• Why it matters: By organizing its users to broaden their personal networks beyond traditional connections, LinkedIn is trying to strike a blow against social inequality.

How it works: For a long time, LinkedIn encouraged users to limit their connections to other people they know. Now, it wants to encourage users to connect to new people to expand job opportunities for those who may not have as strong professional networks.

• During his keynote today at the company’s Talent Connect conference, Weiner will call on the public to take the “Plus One Pledge,” a call to actionfor users to share their “time, talent, and connections with people outside your network who may not have access to the same connections and resources you do.”
• “We believe that people with equal talent should have equal access to opportunity, a sentiment we know is shared by many of our members and customers,” Weiner tells Axios.