There is no other way for Google but to try its best to improve its privacy programs. After being swarmed by numerous charges, it is now stepping up its efforts to review its existing policies. The issue started after the launching of its new networking service called the Buzz in February 2010. The charges all point to Google’s violation of its own privacy policies and for deceiving users.
The new networking service is integrated with Google’s email service, the Gmail. Buzz can identify the most frequently used contacts by Gmail users. These contacts are automatically loaded by Buzz into its so-called circle of friends and then made public. Some users found the technology amazing, but many considered it an invasion of privacy. Users asserted that they would not want all their contacts to be in the “circle” and open to everyone else. They found out that some contacts might have privacy considerations like ex-spouses, doctors, or recruiters.
Google and the Federal Trade Commission worked on the issue and reached a settlement agreement. The search giant laid down its plan to immediately study whether its services contained privacy risks. It has as well promised to implement stricter privacy risk elimination standards before launching any new service. Consequently, it would develop relevant policies that would address the risks that may be found.
The company has also agreed to be subjected to an independent audit. This will oversee and validate Google’s privacy program once every two years in the next twenty years. The settlement agreement also required Google to always obtain users’ consent before transacting business with any third party using their information. Unlike what happened with Gmail, any alteration on its services should always be checked against its existing privacy policies.
The FTC reiterated that Google failed to obtain users’ consent with its Buzz service. This is a clear violation of its own privacy policies. The policies explicitly explain its commitment to seek the user’s permission if collected information would be used in a different manner. FTC Chairman Jon Liebowitz called for companies to honor what they stated in their privacy pledges.
The Buzz missteps had prompted Google to be more serious with its privacy program. It is hopeful that with the settlement, the current issue would also die down. It also apologized for not coming up to the usual standards in terms of user control and transparency. On the FTC’s side, this settlement would hopefully stir up greater importance placed on better privacy standards for Google and for the whole internet community.
Image courtesy of:
No comments:
Post a Comment