subject: Google Buzz class action settled [print this page] Google Buzz class action settled Google Buzz class action settled
Google announced this week that it was settling a class action lawsuit filed with social networking service, Google Buzz, which integrates user's Gmail accounts with the product's social networking function. The $8.5m settlement will be officially accredited 31 January, 2011.
The much anticipated class action settlement hinges on the fact that on its launch, Google Buzz automatically integrated all Gmail users. User's gmail contacts were made public as a consquence.
Users were, of course, given an option to opt out of the program, but numerous felt the overall process was deceptive, perplexing, and clearly created to underhandedly get people to sign up who did not want to. Eva Hibnick, a 2nd year Harvard law student was one of these people.
Ms Hibnick looked into the legal side of the matter after realizing that Buzz had publicized her Gmail contacts, because she did not opt out of Buzz. Some contacts of hers at Harvard put her in touch with lawyers in San Francisco and Washington D.C., and soon after they filed formal class actions claims
against Google on account of all Gmail users in Buzz. An $8.5m fund for non-profits working in the internet privacy space is the lion's share of the settlement.
Google lacks a outstanding history when it comes to privacy issues. While Google was updating Googe Maps in Canada, they by mistake gathered large amounts of personal information from close by wifi networks .
Taking into consideration how much people value privacy, and how much power Google posseses; it is probably a good thing that search engine is being checked out. It is important to remember, however, that Google is a huge business with a massive employee population, diverse goals and interests, and competitors and opponents as that range from Facebook to the Chinese government.
When a organisation the size of Google makes errors there is as much chance that it is merely an oversight. Google should be held accountable, but not vilified.
