Google To Pay $8.5 Million In Buzz Privacy Settlement

eldavojohn writes "Google's Buzz service will cost the company $8.5 million in settling a class action lawsuit related to the privacy debacle from the days after its release. Ars reports: 'In the proposed settlement submitted to the court this week, Google agreed to make efforts to better educate Buzz users on issues of privacy and the particular privacy features that Buzz offers. Additionally, Google also agreed to pay out $8.5 million to a fund which will be disbursed as cy pres awards for organizations that focus on Internet privacy policy or education.' In other words, the victims (Buzz users) won't see any of that money, but it will be used to promote healthy Internet privacy policies." Several readers have also noted that Google has simplified its privacy policy, condensing a number of product-specific policies into one and adding a privacy tools page in an effort to make everything more easily understood.

Comments

Can victims opt out of this settlement?

[d_jedi]

It's ridiculous to think we won't even get a dime.

Re:Can victims opt out of this settlement?

[shentino]

I wouldn't call it "opt-in" when Buzz automatically followed frequent contacts.

This, in fact, is why I blocked everyone (even good friends) and promptly deleted my public profile.

Makes one wonder

[RobertM1968]

(Makes one wonder)...why Facebook wasnt sued out of existence ages ago? Even now, it either ignores privacy settings I choose, or, via it's "likes" pages, makes them irrelevant. My full name shows up on "Favorite Bands are Iron Maiden" even though my likes are supposedly hidden.

If I remember correctly

[oljanx]

When Google Buzz was introduced I had the option to opt-in to the service. So I did. And as it turned out, all of my contacts, who had also chosen to opt-in to the service, were able to "buzz" me. Or whatever lingo is attached to this service. And they didn't, and neither did I. And we went on our ways, existing in each others contacts list.