Google, FTC settle over Buzz privacy concerns

Google and the Federal Trade Commission have settled the complaint about privacy breaches from the launch of Google's Buzz social network in 2010. Google is required to have privacy audits every two years as part of the settlement.

When Google launched Buzz way back in the heady days of January 2010, it automatically signed users up for the service and, unbeknownst to them, shared their address books publicly. Google quickly fixed the issue, but not before users were in an uproar over the privacy breach. The FTC was brought in when a complaint was issued that said that Google used "deceptive tactics and violated its own privacy promises to consumers."

The settlement with the FTC has Google conceding to an independent review of privacy procedures once every two years, and a consent from users before privacy policies are changed in the future. The privacy issues with Buzz held it back from catching on and becoming as popular as Twitter, although it is still in use today.

Posted in: FTC settle over Buzz privacy concerns,gadget,Google,google buzz,Google launched Buzz