MPPSC 2024 Prelims Paper-I · Question 47 of 100

Correct — D, LinkedIn. Founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003, LinkedIn is a social networking platform built specifically for professional and business networking — users build a career-focused profile (work history, skills, education) to connect with colleagues, recruiters, and other professionals, unlike the general-purpose or entertainment-first platforms in the other options.

• (a)Facebook — A general-purpose social networking site built around personal connections (friends, family), not professional networking.
• (b)MySpace — An early social networking site (popular mid-2000s) centred on music and personal-profile customisation, not professional connections.
• (c)Twitter — A microblogging/short-post platform for public conversation and news, not a dedicated professional-networking site.

LinkedIn is a professional/business social network — its core unit is a resume-style profile (employment history, education, skills, endorsements) used to build career connections, search for jobs, and recruit talent. This distinguishes it structurally from consumer social networks like Facebook (friends/family), Twitter (public short-form posts), and MySpace (music/personal-profile customisation).

Exams asking 'which platform is for X purpose' expect you to know each major platform's core use-case, not just its existence — LinkedIn's giveaway here is the word 'professional'/'business' in the question stem.

• LinkedIn was founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003.
• LinkedIn's profile format centres on work experience, education, and skills — built for professional networking and recruitment.
• Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in 2016.
• MySpace predates Facebook's peak popularity (mid-2000s) but was music/personal-profile focused, not professional.

• Picking Facebook because it is the most 'famous' social network, ignoring the professional-specific qualifier in the question
• Assuming Twitter counts as 'professional networking' because businesses also use it for marketing and announcements

MPPSC/UPSC-adjacent IT-awareness questions test the defining PURPOSE of each major platform (general/personal vs professional vs microblogging vs early social) rather than just platform names.

No directly related past PYQ was found.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  LinkedIn, the professional networking platform, was founded in which year?

  • (a)2000
  • (b)2002
  • (c)2005
  • (d)2008

  Answer(b) 2002 — LinkedIn was founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which technology company acquired LinkedIn in 2016?

  • (a)Google
  • (b)Microsoft
  • (c)Meta (Facebook)
  • (d)Amazon

  Answer(b) Microsoft.