Google Buzz settlement gets preliminary approval

Google today said that a settlement for a class action suit by Gmail users over privacy violations related to Google Buzz has been granted preliminary approval by a federal district court judge. The approval was reached on Oct. 7 but the company released the news today as it is preparing to notify Gmail users about it.

The settlement, proposed in September, calls for Google to pay $8.5 million toward a fund for organizations focusing on Internet privacy policy or education. In a statement today, Google said:

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.

When it launched, Google Buzz received criticism upon launch, in part for being too closely tied to Gmail. I had issues with it from Day One. The company later made some changes to the settings and amount of user control over the service.

The court will consider final approval of the settlement in January.