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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.
This is another great victory for lawyers. =b
Why? There was absolutely no harm to anyone. The privacy "implications" were completely overblown and mainly by people who just didn't understand how the service worked, the service was opt-in to begin with, and nobody actually had any damage done to them.
This is pretty much completely bullshit, and I imagine the only reasons they settled at all were 1) to save face and 2) to save money, since a legal battle would have cost them more.
(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.
StarTrekPhase2 - The Five Year Mission Continues!
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.