In late 2012, Instagram ignited a massive user backlash when it released a new privacy policy and terms of use that gave the company and its new owner, Facebook, broad access to user data and photos for commercial use. The policy, which would have allowed Instagram to sell the rights to photos posted to the service, triggered widespread outrage. Critics dubbed it the service’s “suicide note” as users threatened to leave en masse. Even celebrity super user Kim Kardashian took to the social network airwaves to call out the company and question the fairness of the new policy. Instagram quickly backpedaled on the offending language, but not in time to avoid losing users to rival companies or to preserve customer goodwill.

LinkedIn faced a class action lawsuit and the alienation of potential users for spamming contacts of its current users with invitations to join the service. Although LinkedIn did request permission to email these contacts, it failed to inform users that invitations would be sent repeatedly unless the recipient accepted or explicitly declined. LinkedIn ultimately paid $13 million in late 2015 to settle a class action lawsuit over the unexpected emails.