LinkedIn has announced that it will be retiring its "Top Voice" badges for users contributing to Collaborative Articles. This badge has been a major incentive for users to add their insights to LinkedIn's AI-prompted content.
The Top Voice Badge and Collaborative Articles
Introduced in March last year, Collaborative Articles on LinkedIn used AI-generated prompts to encourage specific users to share their expertise on various topics. When users contributed to enough of these posts, they were awarded a "Top Voice" badge, which appeared next to their name, giving them an added level of credibility on the platform.
This system drove many users to share their knowledge. By March this year, LinkedIn reported a fourfold increase in weekly contributions to Collaborative Articles, thanks to this badge system.
LinkedIn’s Decision to Remove the Badge
However, LinkedIn has now decided to remove the "Top Voice" badges from these contributions. According to a statement from the company, starting on 8th October 2024, the gold Community Top Voice badges will no longer be automatically awarded for Collaborative Articles. If users already have the badge, it will expire within 60 days of receiving it.
Why is LinkedIn Doing This?
The decision to retire the badge stems from concerns that simply contributing to AI-generated posts doesn’t necessarily reflect genuine expertise. LinkedIn has received feedback from its community that the automatic awarding of these badges has made it difficult to maintain high standards. Some users have pointed out that certain badge holders do not have the necessary skills or knowledge to be considered experts.
LinkedIn acknowledged that while the Collaborative Articles format has encouraged people to share and learn from each other, the system of automatically granting badges has led to questions about the credibility of certain badge holders.
The Risk of AI-Based Recognition Systems
The issue with AI-based merit systems is that they can often reward individuals who may not truly deserve recognition. Users may even use AI tools themselves to generate responses, which raises further concerns about the authenticity of the contributions. It seems that LinkedIn has decided that the negative feedback about the badge system outweighs its benefits.
What’s Next for Collaborative Articles?
Without the Top Voice badge as an incentive, LinkedIn may see a decrease in participation in Collaborative Articles. The badge was a significant draw for many users, and its removal may dampen enthusiasm for contributing to these posts.
However, LinkedIn is encouraging users to continue sharing their expertise. It highlights the benefits of contributing, such as demonstrating knowledge, expanding networks, and helping others with workplace challenges. Despite this, it’s unclear whether users will remain as engaged with Collaborative Articles in the absence of the badge system.
LinkedIn has confirmed that all Top Voice badges awarded for Collaborative Articles will disappear from the platform by 7th December 2024. While the company is trying to maintain interest in the format, it seems likely that without the badge as an incentive, fewer users will feel motivated to contribute.
It's important to note that LinkedIn’s original Top Voice programme, which awards blue badges through its editorial team by invitation only, remains unaffected by this change.
