Amplify social network permissions FAQ

Hootsuite Amplify allows organizations to empower their employees to share pre-approved and on-brand content easily and efficiently. Social network permissions are required to connect to social networks and streamline content sharing in Amplify.

What are social network permissions?

Social network permissions are displayed when you decide to connect social accounts to our services. Because Hootsuite uses standard permission language provided to us by social networks (like Meta and LinkedIn), we cannot customize these permissions.

Amplify is an extension of our main Hootsuite product. The social network permissions needed to connect social accounts to Amplify are the same as those in Hootsuite.

Why are there permissions for things I can’t do in Amplify or Hootsuite?

Social networks like Linkedln, Facebook, and Twitter, often bundle network permissions together. They do this to keep users informed and to ensure they aren't overwhelmed by in-app permission notices. This grouping means that when service like Amplify or Hootsuite only uses a few of their permissions, they require that we include all permissions in that permission group.

Amplify only accesses the minimum amount of information and permissions required for it to work. However, the social networks may provide wider access based on the API (Application Programing Interface) we need to run Hootsuite and how they grouped those permissions.

Hootsuite will never automatically share content on your connected social networks. You are always in full control of your social network accounts.

How does Amplify use LinkedIn permissions?

As an extension of our main Hootsuite product, Amplify may only use a subset of capabilities, but it inherits the social network permissions required to use Hootsuite. When we request access to your account, LinkedIn provides capabilities based on how it groups permissions together for Hootsuite to function. Amplify and other Hootsuite products will only access information required to use them, even if LinkedIn and other social networks provide wider capabilities.

LinkedIn permissions

Use your basic info

This information includes what you have set to be public in your profile and includes your name, email address, and profile picture. This information is provided to any app that you have connected to any of your social network accounts, including Amplify. Amplify uses this information to distinguish social network accounts and share content you designate.

Use your 1st and 2nd degree connections

Because the Amplify app is an extension of the main Hootsuite product, it inherits this permission. If you are only an Amplify user, this functionality is not used. LinkedIn prohibits apps from storing this information.

Send messages and invitations to connect as you

Because the Amplify app is an extension of the main Hootsuite product, it inherits this permission. If you are only an Amplify user, this functionality is not used. Hootsuite products do not currently send LinkedIn invitations.

Manage your organizations’ pages and retrieve reporting data

This permission only applies to Amplify administrators. It allows Amplify to measure the effectiveness of the information that is being posted through Amplify. For example, Amplify is able to report on how many times a piece of content was shared, how often it was shared, the Amplify users who shared it, and how often it was liked.

Retrieve your organization's posts

When an organization has content ready to be shared, it's often posted to the organization’s social network page first. This permission allows Amplify to reference content from your organization's connected LinkedIn Pages.

Post, comment and like posts on your organization's behalf

This is at the organizational level and allows Amplify administrators to create and refer to content that they want Amplify users to have access to.

Post, comment and like posts on your behalf

This permits the Amplify app to share content to your public feed. In this instance, LinkedIn also combines the permission with commenting and liking posts. Amplify is able to post the content that you specified to your public feed; it does not inspect your feed, comment on, or “like” any content.