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Google Settles Buzz Privacy Suit

Sep 3, 2010, 2:56 PM by Eric M. Zeman

Google has settled a lawsuit against it over its Buzz social networking service. When it launched in February, Google automatically used Gmail customers' Google Contacts to build a set of followers. Many complained that this was done without their permission and gave away their email addresses to strangers. Google changed the privacy settings quickly, but the failed launch was enough for some to sue. Rather than pay any claimants, Google is setting aside $8.5 million to be used for attorney's fees and donations to organizations that help aid in keeping user data private on the internet. Google will also make it clearer to users of the Buzz service how their privacy is handled. Buzz is built into the browser-based version of Gmail, and also has dedicated mobile tools, such as a widget for the Android platform.

Reuters »

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Comments

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This forum is closed.

justfinethanku

Sep 3, 2010, 5:52 PM

Apple Settles Ping Privacy Suit...

If that were the caption I'm sure there would be a lot more responses here...

where is everybody??

T Bone

Well, yeah I suppose it would generate more responses because it would be a stupid headline that wouldn't make sense...Ping is opt-in, Buzz was opt-out....huge difference....

Why would anyone sue Apple over ping?

...

Menno

I think most people are still trying to figure out what ping is and why it is a whole seperate service and not just a facebook/twitter app.

muchdrama

Sep 3, 2010, 8:50 PM

First thing I did--

--when Buzz came to be: did away with it from my email screen icons, and blocked it from giving any of my private info to anyone. In fact, I disabled it altogether, seeing as Chrome & Buzz are so hard up to screw with our privacy.

Maybe I should dump Gmail, too.

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