Google to pay $8.5 mln to settle Buzz case

Google has agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle a privacy lawsuit over a Buzz social networking tool added to free email service Gmail in February

Photo: AFP

SAN FRANCISCO - Google has agreed to pay US$8.5 million to settle a privacy lawsuit over a Buzz social networking tool added to free email service Gmail in February, according to court documents.

Legal paperwork made available online Friday detailed the proposed settlement, which awaits approval by the federal court judge in San Francisco presiding over the case.

Lawyers that filed the class-action suit staked out 30 percent of the settlement money and the seven named plaintiffs were to get no more than $2,500 each, according to court documents.

The rest of the money, which Google is to deposit in a fund, was earmarked for organizations devoted to Internet privacy policy or education.

The settlement also called on the California-based Internet giant to do more to educate people about privacy at Buzz.

Facing a slew of privacy complaints in the wake of the Buzz launch, Google has made changes to the new social networking tool.

"Google has made changes to the Google Buzz user interface that clarify Google Buzz's operation and users' options regarding Google Buzz," the settlement maintained.

Among the concerns aired in technology blogs and elsewhere was that Google Buzz was taking a user's Gmail contacts and automatically adding them to their public Buzz social network.

Gmail users now have to create a Google Buzz public profile and can view, edit or hide lists of people in their online circles.

Google also gave users the ability to block anyone following their account.

Buzz allows Gmail users to get updates about what friends are doing online and offers ways to share video, photos and other digitized snippets.

Buzz has been described by some technology analysts as a direct challenge by Google to social networking stars Facebook and Twitter.

The court filing came as Google updated its privacy policy.

"We're simplifying and updating Google's privacy policies," Google associate general counsel Mike Yang said Friday in a blog post.

"To be clear, we aren't changing any of our privacy practices; we want to make our policies more transparent and understandable."

On Thursday, a nonprofit consumer group that has been hounding Google about privacy released a satirical video cartoon featuring the Internet firm's chief giving away ice cream to snoop on children.

Google noted that information about its privacy tools can be found online at google.com/privacy.

Related Articles

• Funds holdup stalls dormitory project
• PM sets agenda for insolvent shipbuilder
• Civil servants to enjoy State housing
• HSBC warns UK bank break-up could force exodus
• HSBC warns UK bank break-up could force exodus

Google to pay $8.5 mln to settle Buzz case

Google has agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle a privacy lawsuit over a Buzz social networking tool added to free email service Gmail in February

Photo: AFP

SAN FRANCISCO - Google has agreed to pay US$8.5 million to settle a privacy lawsuit over a Buzz social networking tool added to free email service Gmail in February, according to court documents.

Legal paperwork made available online Friday detailed the proposed settlement, which awaits approval by the federal court judge in San Francisco presiding over the case.

Lawyers that filed the class-action suit staked out 30 percent of the settlement money and the seven named plaintiffs were to get no more than $2,500 each, according to court documents.

The rest of the money, which Google is to deposit in a fund, was earmarked for organizations devoted to Internet privacy policy or education.

The settlement also called on the California-based Internet giant to do more to educate people about privacy at Buzz.

Facing a slew of privacy complaints in the wake of the Buzz launch, Google has made changes to the new social networking tool.

"Google has made changes to the Google Buzz user interface that clarify Google Buzz's operation and users' options regarding Google Buzz," the settlement maintained.

Among the concerns aired in technology blogs and elsewhere was that Google Buzz was taking a user's Gmail contacts and automatically adding them to their public Buzz social network.

Gmail users now have to create a Google Buzz public profile and can view, edit or hide lists of people in their online circles.

Google also gave users the ability to block anyone following their account.

Buzz allows Gmail users to get updates about what friends are doing online and offers ways to share video, photos and other digitized snippets.

Buzz has been described by some technology analysts as a direct challenge by Google to social networking stars Facebook and Twitter.

The court filing came as Google updated its privacy policy.

"We're simplifying and updating Google's privacy policies," Google associate general counsel Mike Yang said Friday in a blog post.

"To be clear, we aren't changing any of our privacy practices; we want to make our policies more transparent and understandable."

On Thursday, a nonprofit consumer group that has been hounding Google about privacy released a satirical video cartoon featuring the Internet firm's chief giving away ice cream to snoop on children.

Google noted that information about its privacy tools can be found online at google.com/privacy.

Related Articles

• Funds holdup stalls dormitory project
• PM sets agenda for insolvent shipbuilder
• Civil servants to enjoy State housing
• HSBC warns UK bank break-up could force exodus
• HSBC warns UK bank break-up could force exodus

Brand buzz secured by breakthrough ideas

Breakthrough creative ideas are more important in securing brand buzz than official sponsorship during an event like the football World Cup, according to a recent report by Cimigo, an independent team of marketing and brand research specialists.

Being an official sponsor of the World Cup was not necessarily sufficient to secure brand recognition, the 2010 Football World Cup Communication Landscape survey found.

Cimigo interviewed 1,000 Vietnamese in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi about what they saw, heard, felt, bought and consumed during the 19th FIFA World Cup in June and July. Cimigo engaged a community of 50 fans to understand the World Cup brand buzz.

"Many brands seek to be associated with the Football World Cup and tap into the extreme emotions and sense of belonging with fans, teams, nations and the world," Tom Skilbeck, director at Cimigo, said.

However, official sponsorship does not always guarantee that a brand will get all the buzz and association with the sport, the event or the fans.

"Among the top 10 brands creating a buzz and association with the World Cup, only four were official sponsors," he said.

The brands that created the most buzz around the Football World Cup included Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Tiger, Sony, Samsung, Heineken, Castrol, Nokia, Adidas and The Gioi Di Dong.

Of these, Coca-Cola, Sony, Castrol and Adidas were the only official sponsors.

"Advertising proved critical," Skilbeck said.

True buzz was generated by exciting live events, World Cup-related promotions and online contests.

For example, Pepsi's TV commercial propelled the association of the World Cup with Pepsi to second place behind Coca-Cola.

The Pepsi advert used a football star line-up, including Vietnam's first and third favorite players, Lionel Messi and Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (Kaka), along with other stars including Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

Pepsi paid large endorsement fees to these celebrities, and most people in Viet Nam assumed that the company was an official sponsor. Coca-Cola was the most associated brand with the World Cup.

Skilbeck said the company "did a fantastic all-round marketing effort" including strong TV advertising supported by the World Cup Trophy Event, under-the-bottle cap promotion and online contests.

The Mobile World Handset retail chain, or The Gioi Di Dong, with 56 branches nationwide cut through with compelling promotions, according to the survey.

Related Articles

• Culture Vulture
• Competition serves sustainable agenda
• Handicraft workers use own trademarks
• North should ensure sustainable growth
• Preparations for congress reviewed

Brand buzz secured by breakthrough ideas

Breakthrough creative ideas are more important in securing brand buzz than official sponsorship during an event like the football World Cup, according to a recent report by Cimigo, an independent team of marketing and brand research specialists.

Being an official sponsor of the World Cup was not necessarily sufficient to secure brand recognition, the 2010 Football World Cup Communication Landscape survey found.

Cimigo interviewed 1,000 Vietnamese in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi about what they saw, heard, felt, bought and consumed during the 19th FIFA World Cup in June and July. Cimigo engaged a community of 50 fans to understand the World Cup brand buzz.

"Many brands seek to be associated with the Football World Cup and tap into the extreme emotions and sense of belonging with fans, teams, nations and the world," Tom Skilbeck, director at Cimigo, said.

However, official sponsorship does not always guarantee that a brand will get all the buzz and association with the sport, the event or the fans.

"Among the top 10 brands creating a buzz and association with the World Cup, only four were official sponsors," he said.

The brands that created the most buzz around the Football World Cup included Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Tiger, Sony, Samsung, Heineken, Castrol, Nokia, Adidas and The Gioi Di Dong.

Of these, Coca-Cola, Sony, Castrol and Adidas were the only official sponsors.

"Advertising proved critical," Skilbeck said.

True buzz was generated by exciting live events, World Cup-related promotions and online contests.

For example, Pepsi's TV commercial propelled the association of the World Cup with Pepsi to second place behind Coca-Cola.

The Pepsi advert used a football star line-up, including Vietnam's first and third favorite players, Lionel Messi and Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (Kaka), along with other stars including Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

Pepsi paid large endorsement fees to these celebrities, and most people in Viet Nam assumed that the company was an official sponsor. Coca-Cola was the most associated brand with the World Cup.

Skilbeck said the company "did a fantastic all-round marketing effort" including strong TV advertising supported by the World Cup Trophy Event, under-the-bottle cap promotion and online contests.

The Mobile World Handset retail chain, or The Gioi Di Dong, with 56 branches nationwide cut through with compelling promotions, according to the survey.

Related Articles

• Culture Vulture
• Competition serves sustainable agenda
• Handicraft workers use own trademarks
• North should ensure sustainable growth
• Preparations for congress reviewed

Brand buzz secured by breakthrough ideas

Breakthrough creative ideas are more important in securing brand buzz
than official sponsorship during an event like the football World Cup,
according to a recent report by Cimigo, an independent team of marketing
and brand research specialists.

Being an official sponsor of the World Cup was not necessarily
sufficient to secure brand recognition, the 2010 Football World Cup
Communication Landscape survey found.

Cimigo
interviewed 1,000 Vietnamese in HCM City and Hanoi about what they saw,
heard, felt, bought and consumed during the 19th FIFA World Cup in June
and July. Cimigo engaged a community of 50 fans to understand the World
Cup brand buzz.

"Many brands seek to be associated
with the Football World Cup and tap into the extreme emotions and sense
of belonging with fans, teams, nations and the world," Tom Skilbeck,
director at Cimigo, said.

However, official
sponsorship does not always guarantee that a brand will get all the buzz
and association with the sport, the event or the fans.

"Among the top 10 brands creating a buzz and association with the World Cup, only four were official sponsors," he said.

The brands that created the most buzz around the Football World Cup
included Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Tiger, Sony, Samsung, Heineken, Castrol,
Nokia, Adidas and The Gioi Di Dong.

Of these, Coca-Cola, Sony, Castrol and Adidas were the only official sponsors.

"Advertising proved critical," Skilbeck said.

True buzz was generated by exciting live events, World Cup-related promotions and online contests.

For example, Pepsi's TV commercial propelled the association of the World Cup with Pepsi to second place behind Coca-Cola.

The Pepsi advert used a football star line-up, including Vietnam's
first and third favourite players, Lionel Messi and Ricardo Izecson dos
Santos Leite (Kaka), along with other stars including Thierry Henry,
Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

Pepsi paid large
endorsement fees to these celebrities, and most people in Viet Nam
assumed that the company was an official sponsor. Coca-Cola was the most
associated brand with the World Cup.

Skilbeck said
the company "did a fantastic all-round marketing effort" including
strong TV advertising supported by the World Cup Trophy Event,
under-the-bottlecap promotion and online contests.

The Mobile World Handset retail chain, or The Gioi Di Dong, with 56
branches nationwide cut through with compelling promotions, according to
the survey./.

Related Articles

• Competition serves sustainable agenda
• Preparations for congress reviewed
• Politburo helps provinces prepare for Party Congress
• Exporters rush to opportunities in Myanmar
• Viet Nam, Laos agree to consolidate relationship