Google Buzz Stung for Exposing Private Contact Details

In early 2010, Google tried to jump on the social networking bandwagon by releasing its own service, Google Buzz. But the biggest buzz about the new service focused on privacy because Google pre-populated “following” lists with frequent chat and email contacts and made that information public by default. Media articles called Buzz a “privacy nightmare” and warned that Buzz “managed to completely overstep the bounds of personal privacy.” Within weeks of launch, Google Buzz became the subject of an FTC privacy complaint and a class action lawsuit that resulted in an $8.5 million settlement. Google ultimately axed the entire Buzz service.