Fact-Check: "LinkedIn was founded by Peter Thiel"
What We Know
The claim that "LinkedIn was founded by Peter Thiel" is incorrect. LinkedIn was co-founded by Reid Hoffman, Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly, and Jean-Luc Vaillant in December 2002. The platform was officially launched in May 2003. While Peter Thiel is a notable entrepreneur and investor, he was not involved in the founding of LinkedIn. Instead, he is known for co-founding PayPal and for his investments in various tech companies, including Facebook (source-1).
Analysis
The assertion that Peter Thiel founded LinkedIn appears to stem from a misunderstanding or misattribution of his role in the tech industry. Thiel is a prominent figure in Silicon Valley, often associated with successful startups, but he did not play a role in the creation of LinkedIn. The founding team of LinkedIn is well-documented, and reputable sources confirm that Reid Hoffman is the primary founder (source-1).
The credibility of the information can be assessed based on the sources available. The founding history of LinkedIn is widely reported in various reputable tech and business publications, which consistently attribute the founding to Hoffman and his team. In contrast, the claim linking Thiel to LinkedIn lacks any substantial evidence or reliable sources to support it.
Additionally, the source from Media Bias/Fact Check does not provide any specific evidence regarding this claim, indicating that it is likely a misrepresentation rather than a fact (source-2).
Conclusion
The claim that "LinkedIn was founded by Peter Thiel" is False. The evidence clearly shows that LinkedIn was founded by Reid Hoffman and a group of co-founders, with no involvement from Thiel in its establishment. This misunderstanding may arise from Thiel's prominence in the tech industry, but it does not reflect the actual history of LinkedIn.
