# Texas Attorney General Launches Probe Into LinkedIn Over “Ghost Job” Allegations
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened a formal investigation into LinkedIn Corporation, accusing the professional networking giant of advertising and profiting from fake or misleading job postings that critics have dubbed “ghost jobs.” The inquiry raises questions about whether the platform has been deceiving paying subscribers who believed they were gaining access to genuine employment opportunities.
## What Sparked the Investigation
According to the Attorney General’s office, ,Paxton opened an investigation into LinkedIn over allegations that the company advertised and profited from fake or misleading job opportunities known as “ghost jobs” on its platform., The term refers to job listings that appear active but don’t reflect a real hiring need — postings that either don’t correspond to an actual open role or remain live despite the employer having no genuine intention of filling the position.
At the heart of the complaint is LinkedIn’s Premium subscription service, which many job seekers pay for in hopes of gaining an edge in a competitive market. ,Paxton contends that LinkedIn does not independently verify the hiring status of most listings on its platform, which has allowed ghost job postings to proliferate., More troubling to investigators is the claim that ,LinkedIn’s premium marketing materials fail to disclose that a significant percentage of job postings may be inactive, unfilled, or otherwise not representative of genuine hiring opportunities, potentially leading consumers to pay for subscriptions based on misleading claims about the platform’s effectiveness.,
## Scale of LinkedIn’s Reach and Revenue
The scope of the investigation is notable given LinkedIn’s massive footprint. ,The platform stands as the world’s largest professional networking site, boasting more than one billion registered users worldwide, including hundreds of thousands of active users across Texas., That reach translates into substantial revenue for the company, which ,generates significant income through Premium subscription services, recruiter licenses, and advertising products, reporting approximately $17.8 billion in revenue during fiscal year 2025.,
The ghost job phenomenon isn’t unique to LinkedIn, but its scale is drawing increasing scrutiny. ,Independent studies have estimated that ghost jobs may account for between one-fifth and one-third of all online job listings., A separate analysis found comparable figures, noting that ,27.4% of all U.S. job listings on LinkedIn are likely ghost jobs with no intentions to hire.,
## Paxton’s Statement
In announcing the investigation, Paxton framed the effort as a consumer-protection matter for Texas workers navigating an already difficult job market. ,”I will use every resource available to my office to help job-seeking Texans find and secure real employment opportunities,” Paxton said, adding that “LinkedIn has a duty to provide the services it advertises and ensure that consumers paying for Premium subscriptions are receiving access to legitimate job postings.”,
As part of the probe, ,the Office of the Attorney General has issued a Civil Investigative Demand to LinkedIn, seeking documents, data, and internal communications related to the company’s advertising, marketing, verification practices, and representations concerning Premium subscription services and job listings., Such demands compel companies to turn over internal records that could shed light on whether executives were aware of the scope of inactive postings and whether that knowledge influenced marketing decisions.
## LinkedIn’s Response
LinkedIn has pushed back on the characterization of its practices, emphasizing its commitment to authenticity on the platform. In a statement, the company said ,”LinkedIn’s goal is to help jobseekers find their next role, and our policies require that jobs posted be authentic and accurately represented,” adding that for many postings, the platform displays “the company’s response time and whether they’re currently reviewing candidates, which helps jobseekers know if it is a current, active job opportunity.”,
The company further stated that ,it actively enforces its policies and continually invests in new features like verifications for jobs, recruiters and company pages to help members identify more trustworthy opportunities., Separately, LinkedIn has reported that more than half of its listings now carry a “verified” tag confirming an open position, part of a broader industry push toward greater transparency in hiring.
## A Growing National Concern
Ghost jobs have become a persistent frustration for job seekers nationwide, feeding perceptions that the hiring process is rigged or dishonest. Employers have been known to post positions they have no immediate plans to fill for reasons ranging from signaling company growth to investors, to keeping a talent pipeline open, to making current staff feel replaceable.
The issue has drawn enough attention that it caught the notice of the Congressional Research Service, which has studied the phenomenon and its impact on the labor market. For Texas job seekers already navigating a challenging employment landscape, the outcome of Paxton’s investigation could have significant implications for how job platforms are required to disclose the accuracy of their listings going forward.
## What Happens Next
As of now, the investigation remains in its early stages, with no findings of wrongdoing established against LinkedIn. The company has not been formally charged, and the Civil Investigative Demand process could take months as LinkedIn compiles and hands over the requested records. Whether the probe results in a lawsuit, settlement, or policy changes remains to be seen, but the case adds Texas to a growing list of jurisdictions examining how tech platforms market their services to consumers desperate to find stable work in an uncertain economy.
For now, job seekers across North Texas and beyond are being urged to remain cautious when applying through major platforms, verifying company postings independently and watching for red flags such as listings that have remained open far longer than typical hiring timelines would suggest.