Seeking to quell a consumer backlash, General Mills has abandoned a new legal policy that told consumers they gave up their right to sue the company if they engaged in online activities such as joining its online community, subscribing to its email newsletters or printing a coupon. Instead, consumers would have had to settle disputes with arbitration or informal negotiations.

The policy, which General Mills posted on its website with an effective date of April 2, provoked a wave of complaints in social media after The New York Times reported on it last week. On Saturday night, the company announced it was dropping the new legal terms.

“Those terms — and our intentions — were widely misread, causing concern among consumers,” the company said on its corporate blog. “So we’ve listened — and we’re changing them back to what they were before.”