AI & Technical question

Describe how LinkedIn oauth works.

Practice this question out loud. An AI interviewer asks it, follows up like a real interviewer would, and scores your answer. Type or speak.

What this question tests

Whether you understand OAuth well enough to explain it accurately in plain terms, a baseline for working with platform APIs.

State the goal: OAuth lets a third-party app access a user's LinkedIn data without ever seeing their password.
Walk through the flow: the app redirects the user to LinkedIn to log in and approve specific requested permissions.
Explain the token exchange: LinkedIn returns an authorization code, which the app exchanges server-side for an access token.
Explain scopes: the token only grants the specific permissions the user approved, like profile or email, not full account access.
Note expiry and refresh: access tokens expire and may need a refresh token to renew access without re-prompting the user.
Connect it to why a PM cares: scope design directly affects user trust and how much data partners can request.

Separates authentication, proving who the user is, from authorization, what the app is allowed to do, correctly.
Explains the token exchange step, not just log in and get access, showing real understanding.
Notes that scopes limit access, which is the actual privacy protection users get from OAuth.
Ties the explanation to a product decision, like why requesting minimal scopes improves signup conversion and trust.

Describing OAuth as just a login button without explaining the token and scope mechanics.
Confusing OAuth with storing the user's actual password.

Chapters of the AI PM course that teach what this question tests.