Has LinkedIn been scraping the Dope?

[Senegoid]

Okay, here’s some background.

(1) This thread from October 2013. See, in particular, Posts 4 and 5.

@Senegoid

LinkedIn is accused of doing this, or something similar. They badger users to give their e-mail addresses and passwords :eek: then harvest all your contacts from your e-mail account. Then send invitations in your name to all your contacts, to come and join LinkedIn. (I myself have received some of these.)

HuffPo article: LinkedIn Sued For ‘Hacking’ Users’ Email Accounts To Spam Friends

Bloomberg article: LinkedIn Customers Allege Company Hacked E-Mail Addresses

The Independent article: Stranger danger? LinkedIn denies ‘hack and spam’ attacks on members in marketing tussle

(2) How do I prevent LinkedIn from spamming everyone in my address book? from September 2011. Pit-worthy ranting about LinkedIn doing shit like this, but also glowing testimonials from posters who found jobs or whatever there.

(3) Why I Hate Linkedin… from May 2013. More ranting about the spamming LinkedIn does.

(4) What’s the deal with LinkedIn? from October 2014. See posts 9, 18, and 31 in particular for relevant remarks and more links to articles about it.

ETA:

@Steve_MB

The LinkedIn interface is designed to encourage that error, and they’ve been sued for allegedly accessing user contacts to spam them with invites.

Hope that all or some of the above links are still live.