Mugshots to appear on LinkedIn

Social network LinkedIn is to enable its 14 million members to add a "professional" photo to their profiles.

The company said it is making the move to help its members recall past colleagues and contacts as faces are often more easy to remember than names.

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Adam Nash, senior director of product at LinkedIn, said in a statement: "Many of our members have requested to have professional photos added to LinkedIn profiles as a way to make the network even easier to use. This new feature will provide another effective way to find trusted colleagues and classmates while keeping the professional experience that defines LinkedIn."

The business-oriented social network has previously eschewed photo functionality in an effort to preserve the professional tone of its offering - setting itself apart from the likes of Facebook and MySpace. Facebook users upload more than 14 million photos daily, according to official stats.

LinkedIn is also being careful not to alienate any users who don't like the idea of all and sundry being able to view their mugshot. Members will have the option to control whether their photo is visible to their connections, their broader network of second and third degree connections, or the entire network, it said.

They will also be able to use the LinkedIn network without photos, in order to comply with hiring and workplace regulations.