Google Buzz Settlement Reached

Yesterday, Google announced that a federal district court judge approved a settlement for a lawsuit filed against them by Gmail users.

Google launched Google Buzz, a tool used for social networking and messaging in association with Gmail. However, Gmail users were upset because they were automatically signed up for Buzz. Without any consent, Gmail users had their data and frequent contacts displayed. Subsequently, users took Google to court, citing privacy violations.

District courts have approved a settlement, which requires that Google pay $8.5 million to organizations that provide education on Internet privacy and policies. Additionally, Google has made changes to its Buzz service and is educating its users on its privacy settings.

Yesterday, all Gmail users in the United States received an e-mail that clarified the nature of the settlement. Gmail users will not receive any monetary compensation for the lawsuit. In the email, Google stated, "Just to be clear, this is not a settlement in which people who use Gmail can file to receive compensation".

In a statement released today, Google announced, "We are satisfied with the agreement and are glad to move forward, We have always been committed to offering users transparency and choice in Buzz and all our products, and will continue to work together with users to provide the best experience possible."

Although the payout for the settlement is a large figure deal, it is clear that Google will not have a problem paying the $8.5 million. As previously mentioned on The TNS Group tech blog, Google will make an estimated $15 billion this year in advertising, and is continuing to grow and improve annually.

Is Your Vote Safe?

Happy Election Day! If you were thinking of voting via the Internet, read on before you cast your vote.

With technology becoming so advanced and the Internet becoming increasingly widespread, more than thirty states will count votes from e-mail, fax, and voting websites this year. On one hand, the idea seems to have many advantages. In terms of "going green", online voting is extremely environmentally-friendly because it eliminates the use of paper. Additionally, in theory, online voting would increase voter turnout because people can vote from anywhere. Many people are unable to vote because they cannot leave work, they are elderly or disabled, or they are overseas. A great feature of online voting is that anyone can simply access a computer to cast their vote without having to leave work or the home.

However, virtual votes could threaten national security because it could expose network infrastructure and leave us vulnerable to cyber hacking. Unfortunately, this fear is very real. In tests by University of Michigan technology students, the voting systems for overseas and military voters was fairly easy to hack. Even worse, the University of Michigan students found that the system had already been hacked by individuals in Iran and China.

Your vote matters. Don't let it get manipulated or altered by foreign threats. Utilize traditional mechanical voting machines to cast your vote this election day.

Stay updated on all security and privacy news by keeping up with The TNS Group tech blog.

USE WITH CAUTION

Currently social media is all the rage. Now, not only are high sales important for a company, but constant communication with clients, prospective buyers, and basically the world is a must. How on Earth is this wide range, continuous communication possible? Social networking.

Sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are now vital to a company’s success and more importantly, ability to stand out. We must hop on the bandwagon, learn the ins-and-outs of these sites and use them to our advantage.

The TNS Group is currently on this mission. We as a company use social networking to update existing clients on our IT products and to reach out to prospective ones. Although SNS’s (social networking sites) seem to be 100% beneficial, TNS, and all other active companies must be cautious.

According to ITNEWS there are five major social media risks for businesses. They are as follows: 1. Viruses and Malware Brand Hijacking Lack of control over corporate content High expectations of customer service at “internet speed” Non-compliance with record-management regulation

5.

To use the SNS effectively company users must be knowledgeable on these sites and be fully aware of their benefits as well as their risks. Without vigilance, businesses may give away confidential information, negatively affect the company image, or get carried away with the social aspect of these sites.

These top five risks must be taken into consideration to achieve a successful bridge of communication between a company and their target market.

As we are trying to do here at The TNS Group; aim to boost your business by being involved in social media! Don’t fall short because you didn’t participate with caution.

Tara McKenna

tmckenna@thetnsgroup.com