Google settles Buzz lawsuit

Internet giant Google has settled a class-action lawsuit in the US regarding its Buzz social network, the company has told various Gmail users.

The lawsuit was sparked by the initial launch of the service, which users said was rife with privacy issues. The company even made blog posts and statements regarding the fiasco.

While Google says it has not made any errors, the company says it will commit $US8.5 million to organisations “promoting privacy education and policy on the web”.

The settlement is another example of the trouble Google is facing with privacy issues. Last week two representatives appeared before an Australian Senate inquiry to defend the company’s approach to user privacy.