Having already investigated privacy issues regarding Facebook last year, the Office of Privacy  Commissioner of Canada has now taken on Google; proving that the office will not tolerate privacy infringements by online giants during its watch.

“We have seen a storm of protest and outrage over alleged privacy violations and my Office also has questions about how Google Buzz has met the requirements of privacy law in Canada,” Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart said in a statement.

The privacy issue surrounding Google’s Buzz, a “Twitter”like social networking tool, is that it publicly reveals the most-used contacts of users by assigning a network of “followers” based on the people with whom they communicate with most often via Google’s e-mail and chat services. The list of “followers” is included in a widely available online profile unless users switch to a hard-to-locate setting. Furthermore, there is no method to completely “opt out” after enrolling in Google Buzz. It only disables use by the opted out user; leaving connections to users which were following them intact.  Adding fuel to the fire, users have to manually block people each time a new person follows them whom they would prefer not to.

Although the Commissioner expressed disappointment that, despite the clear and significant privacy implications, the California-based corporation failed to consult her Office prior to unveiling Buzz in Canada. Google company spokesman, Wendy Rozeluk, said in an e-mail that Google has an “open line” with her. “We had an in-depth discussion with her about how Google Buzz works and about the changes we made. We’re always happy to hear from privacy commissioners in Canada and in other countries,” Ms. Rozeluk said.

And that’s the Buzz.

For more, visit:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/privacy-czar-takes-on-google-buzz/article1472028/
http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2010/nr-c_100217_e.cfm