DoorDash Bans LinkedIn Connections With Instacart After $17 Billion Deal
DoorDash instructed employees to avoid LinkedIn connections with Instacart staff to prevent illegal coordination before the $17 billion acquisition closes.
DoorDash has prohibited its employees from requesting or accepting new LinkedIn connections with staff from Instacart following a $17 billion agreement to acquire the grocery-delivery service. The restriction, detailed in an internal question-and-answer document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, applies even to employees who have prior personal relationships.
The company implemented the ban to prevent gun-jumping, which is the illegal sharing of competitively sensitive information or coordination between companies before a merger is finalized. DoorDash and Instacart intend to remain independent competitors until the deal closes, which is expected to occur by the end of 2027 or in the first half of 2028.
While antitrust experts noted that limiting coordination is standard during merger processes, some specialists stated that barring social media connections is an uncommon request in mergers and acquisitions deals.
