Browser extension
How to spot it
A setup guide for Chrome, a Chrome Web Store listing, an “Add extension” button.
Rule: LinkedIn Help, Prohibited software and extensions.
What LinkedIn prohibits in tools, how to spot it, and six prompts to check your tool in your own AI.
No other network brings you as close to B2B decision makers as LinkedIn. What matters is the route.
This page names no vendor and judges no one. You get LinkedIn’s rules word for word, seven patterns that tell you how a tool works, and six prompts. You run the check yourself, in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any other AI with web search.
SpotFan is a LinkedIn tool too. That is why we check no one here. How to check SpotFan is further down.
Section 1
These sentences come from LinkedIn itself. Retrieved on 7 October 2026. LinkedIn’s own pages always take precedence.
“In order to protect our members' data and our website, we don't permit the use of any third party software, including "crawlers", bots, browser plug-ins, or browser extensions that scrape, modify the appearance of, or automate activity on LinkedIn's website.”
“Any member who uses tools for such purposes is in violation of the User Agreement. This means that they risk having their accounts restricted or shut down.”
“Use bots or other unauthorized automated methods to access the Services, add or download contacts, send or redirect messages, create, comment on, like, share, or re-share posts, or otherwise drive inauthentic engagement;”
“Develop, support or use software, devices, scripts, robots or any other means or processes (such as crawlers, browser plugins and add-ons or any other technology) to scrape or copy the Services, including profiles and other data from the Services;”
“… or use or attempt to use another’s account (such as sharing log-in credentials or copying cookies);”
“Override any security feature or bypass or circumvent any access controls or use limits of the Services (such as search results, profiles, or videos);”
“You are responsible for anything that happens through your account unless you close it or report misuse.”
“LinkedIn reserves the right to restrict, suspend, or terminate your account if you breach this Contract or the law or are misusing the Services (e.g., violating any of the Dos and Don’ts or Professional Community Policies).”
LinkedIn also describes the allowed route. Tools you connect through a LinkedIn permission window then appear in your settings. LinkedIn says:
“LinkedIn’s agreements with the developers of these third-party applications (including the self-serve API Terms of Use) restrict how third-party applications use and disclose your LinkedIn data.”
Section 2
How a tool works is often written on its own website: in the help center, the setup guide, the terms of service. Look for these seven patterns there. Next to patterns 1 to 6 is the LinkedIn rule from section 1 that it concerns. Pattern 7 shows the official route.
How to spot it
A setup guide for Chrome, a Chrome Web Store listing, an “Add extension” button.
Rule: LinkedIn Help, Prohibited software and extensions.
How to spot it
Words like autopilot, campaign, sequence or “automatic follow ups”. Or a note that everything keeps running while your computer is off.
Rule: User Agreement 8.2, bots and automated methods.
How to spot it
Setup asks for your LinkedIn password, or the help center mentions a cookie, a session or “li_at”.
Rule: User Agreement 2.2 and 8.2, password and copying cookies.
How to spot it
“Export profiles”, “export Sales Navigator searches”, contact enrichment, lists built from other people’s posts. If a tool shows you data about other people, ask where it comes from.
Rule: User Agreement 8.2, scraping and third party data.
How to spot it
“Safe limits”, “human-like behavior”, random pauses, actions spread across the day.
Rule: User Agreement 8.2, circumventing use limits.
How to spot it
The terms say you are responsible if a platform prohibits the tool or restricts your account.
Rule: User Agreement 2.2 and 3.4.
How to spot it
You connect the tool in a LinkedIn permission window and grant permissions there. The vendor names the API. Afterwards the tool appears in your LinkedIn settings under “Permitted services”.
Rule: LinkedIn Help, third-party applications.
Section 3
How it works
Good to know
If your AI’s search does not know a website yet, it writes “not documented”. That says nothing about the tool yet. Some AIs cannot open LinkedIn’s pages. They then use the quotes in the prompt and tell you so. Gemini sometimes needs several minutes for these prompts.
Prompt 1
For you if
You use a LinkedIn tool or plan to buy one.
What you get
The seven patterns as a table, each with a quote from the vendor’s website, the link and the matching LinkedIn rule.
Prompt 2
For you if
Someone offers to run your LinkedIn outreach, by message, proposal or video.
What you get
Every passage where something happens without your click, with the LinkedIn rule and a question for the vendor.
Prompt 3
For you if
You know what you want to achieve and want the route that fits the rules.
What you get
Your goal in steps, split into done by you, official route and not allowed.
Prompt 4
For you if
You used extensions or services for LinkedIn in the last 90 days.
What you get
Each of your answers with the matching rule, plus a clean up list with the click paths in your settings.
Prompt 5
For you if
You want to know what a vendor’s terms say before you sign.
What you get
The clauses on account bans, liability, credentials, cookies, data origin and cancellation, word for word.
Prompt 6
For you if
LinkedIn has restricted your account.
What you get
What to stop right away and which steps LinkedIn itself describes, each with the sentence from the help page.
Section 4
No AI needed. Send them as a message to the vendor. Copy, add the name, send.
Hello,
before I use your tool for LinkedIn, I have seven questions. Please answer each one with yes or no and a link to the place on your website where it is written.
Thank you and best regards
Section 5
SpotFan is our own tool. Check it with prompt 1 like any other: name SpotFan, website spotfan.ai.
SpotFan offers less automation than other tools because it follows these rules. The demo with sample data shows what that looks like.
See the demoSection 6
Tell us what you checked and what was unclear. We read everything and use it to improve this page and the prompts.
Thank you. Your message has arrived.
As of 7 October 2026. LinkedIn’s own pages always take precedence. This page and the prompts are not legal advice. Found a mistake? Tell us through the form.