LinkedIn fined $13m in class-action lawsuit for spamming
LinkedIn has been fined $13m in a class-action lawsuit after it was found guilty of spamming people with constant invitations to join the platform without members’ consent.
The complaints relate to LinkedIn’s “Add Connections” feature which allowed people to import their email contacts list and send them invitations to connect on the platform
According to the lawsuit the business-orientated social network repeatedly “spammed” those email addresses on the list by sending up to two reminder emails on behalf of the members.
LinkedIn was found guilty because users who used the email list "Add Connections" feature did not have the opportunity to give or refuse consent to the follow-up emails being sent.
Members who were affected by the spamming have until 14 December to file a claim which would make them part of the settlement and could result in them receiving up to $1,500 depending on how many people are part of the lawsuit.
The California-based company did not admit wrongdoing however it promised to revise its disclosures and state to users that two reminder emails will be sent as part of the "Add Connections" service. By the end of the year it also vowed to provide an option to stop reminders from being sent by canceling the connection invitation.