LinkedIn CEO says tech regulation risks stifling innovation

While Weiner is expecting more tech regulation, he is still concerned that any new rules might have 'unintended consequences' – a phrase that has been used to characterise the proliferation of misleading and offensive content on Facebook, Google and other online services. — Bloomberg

The combative relationship between Silicon Valley and global regulators has been at the centre of attention for much of the past two years. Technology companies like Facebook Inc and Google have drawn ire from lawmakers who say they may be abusing their powers and aren’t doing enough to protect consumers.

LinkedIn, owned by Microsoft Corp, has been largely absent from those discussions. The professional-networking service hasn’t come under the same intense scrutiny around data privacy, election integrity and antitrust as its social media peers have. But the possibility of industry-wide regulation would affect LinkedIn just the same – which means chief executive officer Jeff Weiner is thinking about it.