Important Information about Google Buzz Class Action Settlement

Miss Fluff

Anyone else get this email from Google Buzz? And what's it about? (scratches blonde head while finishing off bottle of red wine)

Google rarely contacts Gmail users via email, but we are making an exception to let you know that we've reached a settlement in a lawsuit regarding Google Buzz (http://buzz.google.com), a service we launched within Gmail in February of this year.

Shortly after its launch, we heard from a number of people who were concerned about privacy. In addition, we were sued by a group of Buzz users and recently reached a settlement in this case.

The settlement acknowledges that we quickly changed the service to address users' concerns. In addition, Google has committed $8.5 million to an independent fund, most of which will support organizations promoting privacy education and policy on the web. We will also do more to educate people about privacy controls specific to Buzz. The more people know about privacy online, the better their online experience will be.

Just to be clear, this is not a settlement in which people who use Gmail can file to receive compensation. Everyone in the U.S. who uses Gmail is included in the settlement, unless you personally decide to opt out before December 6, 2010. The Court will consider final approval of the agreement on January 31, 2011. This email is a summary of the settlement, and more detailed information and instructions approved by the court, including instructions about how to opt out, object, or comment, are available at http://www.BuzzClassAction.com.

---

This mandatory announcement was sent to all Gmail users in the United States as part of a legal settlement and was authorized by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

omahaid

Ya got it, very boring email to be honest, doesnt seem to have any affect on my life so onwards and upwards

Black Swan

Please send the $8.5 million to my Nigerian address.

chin_grin

This.

http://gizmodo.com/5679912/every-gmail-user-in-the-world-just-won-a-settlement-against-google-and-got-nothing

kierank01

I got it.
The privacy settings for google buzz were very poor at best when it was launched, and they were forced to change them, and I suppose send this email.

What I am confused about is when did Ireland become part of the us?

alwaysadub

I didn't get it.. Not exactly put out by that fact either after reading it!

GLaDOS

Does anyone acttually use google buzz? Seems like a replica of twitter from what I've heard

Sheeps

I foresee this thread turning in to a google bashing thread and I love google so let me be the first to say that anyone who doesn't like google or anyone who thinks google is some kind of evil corporation with a secret plan to take over the world is a sub-human piece of shit.

Sharpshooter

Sheeps wrote: »

I foresee this thread turning in to a google bashing thread and I love google so let me be the first to say that anyone who doesn't like google or anyone who thinks google is some kind of evil corporation with a secret plan to take over the world is a sub-human piece of shit.

Good luck with calling them:

Sheeps wrote: »

A sub-human piece of shit.

Fair warning.

K-9

When they introduced it, they never bothered asking people about privacy settings on it, AFAIK. There was no easy way of unsubscribing either.

Never used the thing myself.

Seaneh

google = SkyNet!

PanchoVilla

Sheeps wrote: »

I foresee this thread turning in to a google bashing thread and I love google so let me be the first to say that anyone who doesn't like google or anyone who thinks google is some kind of evil corporation with a secret plan to take over the world is a sub-human piece of shit.

I actually dislike Google immensely because of what they're doing to Youtube. I won't report your incredibly abusive post if you edit it and apologize for your rudeness.

Orando Broom

I use the google.

Absurdum

tl;dr
do I get free money?

Truley

I got that email and I sent it straight to my spam box

Truley

Truley wrote: »

I got that email and I sent it straight to my spam box

Damn you, you almost broke Google

Copper23

PanchoVilla wrote: »

I actually dislike Google immensely because of what they're doing to Youtube. I won't report your incredibly abusive post if you edit it and apologize for your rudeness.

I know, remember when YouTube used to be big before they..... oh