LinkedIn Sued For Hacking Users Email Accounts
Four individuals have filed a lawsuit against the professional networking site LinkedIn for hacking into their email accounts in order to send invitations to their friends.
The individuals say that they knew LinkedIn asks for users emails, the site does not make clear that it will bombard those users friends with up to three email invitations. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif., alleges that LinkedIn violates the federal wiretap law as well as California privacy laws.
For years, people have been complaining about LinkedIn’s emails,” Larry Russ, an attorney for the plaintiffs, told The Huffington Post. “This lawsuit is squarely directed at the marketing practices causing the public outrage.”
The suit alleges that it is unlawful to send advertising emails, which give the impression that the member is endorsing LinkedIn, without taking the member’s consent.
LinkedIn disputes the claim that it is breaking the law. “LinkedIn is committed to putting our members first, which includes being transparent about how we protect and utilize our members’ data,” LinkedIn spokesperson Doug Madey said in a statement. “We believe that the legal claims in this lawsuit are without merit, and we intend to fight it vigorously.”
