FTC on Google Buzz: Consumer Privacy Cannot Be Run in Beta
Earlier today, FTC commissioner Pamela Jones Harbour cited Google Buzz’s “irresponsible conduct” at launch as an example of how companies are being too careless with consumer privacy and online data.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the remarks were made at a public roundtable on privacy-related matters hosted by the FTC, where Harbour made it clear that the FTC can and will take an active interest in protecting consumer privacy.
“The Commission will unfailingly step in to protect consumers where we believe the law has been violated, and that includes violations relating to privacy promises,” she said.
The commissioner’s remarks echo the sentiments of researcher Danah Boyd during her SXSW keynote, and the infuriated Gmail users who felt exposed when they were involuntarily following or being followed by their frequent e-mail contacts per the algorithm of Google Buzz’s original auto-follow feature.
Google has since made major tweaks to Buzz, but Harbour believes the misfire is a symptom of a greater problem. She says: “This is turning into a dangerous game of ‘copycat’ behavior … Unlike a lot of tech products, consumer privacy cannot be run in beta.”
Obviously Harbour’s strong words were directed beyond Google and could apply to all Internet companies that store personally identifiable information on consumers and their online behaviors. As users we tend to forget about the implications of our online actions and naively place our trust in the cloud by storing information, files and communication online. Hopefully the FTC’s agenda around privacy will help to ensure that our trust is not abused in the future.
[img credit: iSerg, iStockphoto]
Reviews: Gmail, Google, Google Buzz, iStockphoto
Tags: FTC, google buzz, privacy
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12 Responses to “FTC on Google Buzz: Consumer Privacy Cannot Be Run in Beta”
March 18th, 2010 saat: 1:51 am
Not completely unrelated, but here's a recent brush of mine with 'privacy'. Visited YouTube yesterday and selected one of the featured videos on the homepage. Turns out it was a preview of an video that I can rent through YouTube's beta rental service. To my surprise, YouTube presented me with 2 of my credit cards as available to use to complete the purchase!
I hadn't used their rental service before nor had I heard of it yet. I jumped to my account setting to see how they had this information; nothing. Then I figured my browser was volunteering this information, but how? I was freaked out by this. Then it dawned on me: Google owns YouTube; Google operated Google Checkout. When I went to the Google Checkout site, their it was: details on the new rental service from YouTube. And yep, Google volunteered my information to YouTube.
Although seemingly convenient, tying one property with another without the customer's consent should be a privacy matter. As the FTC commissioner is pointing out, companies are making assumptions on how we want our information to be used and shared. This disregard will have bad consequences.
March 18th, 2010 saat: 2:19 am
Buzz was a disaster from Day 1 but I dont mind it now. I like how many of my friends can see which stories I share with greater ease as they didnt use Google Reader.
But how much they could see of me at first was a joke that showed how little research they did into this product before release
March 18th, 2010 saat: 2:41 am
I wonder if the FTC is looking at the way Google is pushing “gigabit fiber”.
March 18th, 2010 saat: 3:01 am
I wonder if the FTC is looking at the way Google is pushing “gigabit fiber”.
March 18th, 2010 saat: 3:55 am
The FTC has a boatload of social- media savvy experts who know exactly how to handle this situation. Yeah right.
March 18th, 2010 saat: 4:02 am
The FTC has a boatload of social- media savvy experts who know exactly how to handle this situation. Yeah right.
March 18th, 2010 saat: 4:04 am
Google = Big Brother
…Now if I disappear in the near future, you'll know why.
March 18th, 2010 saat: 4:21 am
About time people stopped glossing over that ridiculous “accident” or should I say mistake with the Buzz launch.
March 18th, 2010 saat: 4:58 am
About time people stopped glossing over that ridiculous “accident” or should I say mistake with the Buzz launch.
March 18th, 2010 saat: 5:19 am
About time people stopped glossing over that ridiculous “accident” or should I say mistake with the Buzz launch.
March 18th, 2010 saat: 5:48 am
really google now a days facing a bit roblem on security.
March 18th, 2010 saat: 5:56 am
really google now a days facing a bit roblem on security.
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