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LinkedIn
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==== Use of e-mail accounts of members for spam sending ==== LinkedIn sends "invite emails" to Outlook contacts from its members' email accounts, without obtaining their consent. The "invitations" give the impression that the e-mail holder themself has sent the invitation. If there is no response, the answer will be repeated several times ("You have not yet answered XY's invitation.") LinkedIn was sued in the United States on charges of hijacking e-mail accounts and spamming. The company argued with the right to freedom of expression. In addition, the users concerned would be supported in building a network.<ref>[http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/234555/linkedin-argues-it-has-free-speech-right-to-email.html LinkedIn argues it has free speech right to email] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180104073214/https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/234555/linkedin-argues-it-has-free-speech-right-to-email.html |date=January 4, 2018 }} Mediapost.com on September 19, 2014.</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20141016201936/http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/10/13/72394.htm LinkedIn 'Credit Reports' Give Job Seekers Trouble]}} Courthouse News Service on October 13, 2014.</ref><ref>[http://mic.com/articles/101236/linked-in-illegally-sold-your-professional-data-lawsuit-claims LinkedIn illegally sold your professional data lawsuit claims] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306035255/https://www.mic.com/articles/101236/linked-in-illegally-sold-your-professional-data-lawsuit-claims |date=March 6, 2022 }} News Mic on October 13, 2014.</ref> The sign-up process includes users entering their email password (there is an opt-out feature). LinkedIn will then offer to send out contact invitations to all members in that address book or that the user has had email conversations with. When the member's email address book is opened, it is opened with all email addresses selected, and the member is advised invitations will be sent to "selected" email addresses, or to all. LinkedIn was sued for sending out another two follow-up invitations to each contact from members to link to friends who had ignored the initial, authorized invitation. In November 2014, LinkedIn lost a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, in a ruling that the invitations were advertisements not broadly protected by free speech rights that would otherwise permit use of people's names and images without authorization.<ref>[http://betanews.com/2014/06/15/linkedin-to-face-lawsuit-for-spamming-users-email-address-books/ LinkedIn to face lawsuit for spamming users' email address books] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306035251/https://betanews.com/2014/06/15/linkedin-to-face-lawsuit-for-spamming-users-email-address-books/ |date=March 6, 2022 }}, BetaNews</ref><ref>[http://gigaom.com/2013/09/21/linkedin-is-breaking-into-user-emails-spamming-contacts-lawsuit/ LinkedIn is "breaking into" user emails, spamming contacts β lawsuit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617102149/http://gigaom.com/2013/09/21/linkedin-is-breaking-into-user-emails-spamming-contacts-lawsuit/ |date=June 17, 2014 }}, Gigaom.com</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/238275/judge-rejects-linkedins-free-speech-argument-in-b.html?|title=Judge Rejects LinkedIn's Free-Speech Argument In Battle Over Email Invitations|website=Mediapost.com|access-date=July 3, 2015|archive-date=July 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704024121/http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/238275/judge-rejects-linkedins-free-speech-argument-in-b.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The lawsuit was eventually settled in 2015 in favor of LinkedIn members.<ref name="auto"/>
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