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_outlawed_
November 3rd, 2010, 12:05 AM
What a bunch of lifeless scrubs, trying to screw Google out of money. This reminds me of all the lawsuits towards McDonalds that were dumb and not needed.

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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 (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 (http://www.buzzclassaction.com/).

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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.

Google Inc. | 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway | Mountain View, CA 94043

CharlesA
November 3rd, 2010, 01:35 AM
I got an email like that earlier today. If it wasn't for correct spelling and grammar, I would have thought it was a phishing email.

That and checking the internet to see what this lawsuit against Google was about.

theraje
November 3rd, 2010, 01:41 AM
I got an email like that earlier today. If it wasn't for correct spelling and grammar, I would have thought it was a phishing email.

That and checking the internet to see what this lawsuit against Google was about.

Yeah, I got the same message. I don't even have the slightest clue what Google Buzz is, but apparently I'm part of the lawsuit along with other (probably equally clueless) "users"...

Only in America, I guess. :?

juancarlospaco
November 3rd, 2010, 01:44 AM
Im from South America, and i got the same mail.

_outlawed_
November 3rd, 2010, 01:48 AM
phishing email

mailed-byhttps://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gifbuzz-classaction.bounces.google.comsigned-byhttps://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gifgoogle.com

It wouldn't say that if it was phishing. :)

CharlesA
November 3rd, 2010, 01:51 AM
mailed-byhttps://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gifbuzz-classaction.bounces.google.comsigned-byhttps://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gifgoogle.com

It wouldn't say that if it was phishing. :)

I was getting it via Thunderbird, so I didn't see that in the header.

Oxwivi
November 3rd, 2010, 04:40 PM
Hmm? I didn't get it, though I live not in the Americas.

weasel fierce
November 3rd, 2010, 06:26 PM
Ive always had the basic assumption that nothing I put online is truly secret or private.

Oxwivi
November 3rd, 2010, 07:28 PM
It's not a basic assumption, it's the universal truth.

Tristam Green
November 3rd, 2010, 08:32 PM
OP called people "scrubs". I'm tellin'.

MisterGaribaldi
November 3rd, 2010, 08:40 PM
Yeah, I got it myself.

I'm not really sure how I can be part of a lawsuit particularly when there's been no monetary value associated with it (it's a free service), and I've never even touched it.

But, you know, if they want to actually mail me money or something, then I'm down with that.

forrestcupp
November 3rd, 2010, 09:23 PM
It looks, sounds, and smells like phishing, but the email address is google.com

Here's a link (http://www.informationweek.com/news/software/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=228200049) to an article about it. It must be true. The funny thing about it is that the money they put aside for the settlement is for education about online privacy, and not to compensate the people who were hurt by what they did. Basically they're just telling the people who sued them to go learn that they don't have any privacy. :)

_outlawed_
November 3rd, 2010, 10:29 PM
It looks, sounds, and smells like phishing

I don't know how people can even say it looks like phishing, when the email clearly does NOT ask you to goto any website and insert usernames/passwords.

forrestcupp
November 4th, 2010, 02:47 AM
I don't know how people can even say it looks like phishing, when the email clearly does NOT ask you to goto any website and insert usernames/passwords.

At the end of the email, it gives you a link to a web site you can go to (that's not a google domain). The web site supposedly has instructions about how to opt out, object, or comment. After reading the email and then having some unheard of web site to go to, it does seem kind of like phishing.

The people who are good at phishing don't make it obvious up front.