Submission Number: 00216 

Received: 5/2/2011 12:00:00 AM
Commenter: Joseph O'Leary
Organization: 
State: Delaware
Agency: Federal Trade Commission
Initiative: Proposed Consent Agreement In the Matter Google, Inc. (Google Buzz), File No. 1023136
Attachments: No Attachments
Submission Text
To the FTC,

I am submitting this comment on the proposed consent order, In the Matter of Google Inc., File No. 1023136, between the FTC and Google. The consent order comes as a result of the complaint filed by the Electronic Privacy Information Center ("EPIC") regarding the privacy breach to Gmail users caused by Google Buzz.

The FTC complaint, which draws heavily on the complaint EPIC filed with the agency, alleges that Google employed unfair and deceptive practices when it launched the Google Buzz social networking service.

I strongly support the FTC settlement agreement, which applies to all Google products and services, including Gmail and Google Buzz. It bans Google from misrepresenting its privacy policies in the future, requires independent privacy audits every two-years for the next 20 years, and requires that Google institute a comprehensive privacy program to safeguard its users data and personal information.

As part of the Comprehensive Privacy Program, the FTC should require Google to:

Limit data retention to the minimum time necessary
Routinely encrypt all cloud-based services (Gmail, Docs, etc.)
Not disclose user data to law enforcement without a warrant
Allow users to use Google services anonymously
Stop behavioral profiling of Internet users
Limit Google's use of a web site's Analytics data
Not require Google Accounts for Android phones
Not track Android users without explicit permission
Be transparent as to what data it collects on users
Allow users to control the information Google collects on them
Encrypt all Gmail to Gmail emails and chats using open standards like pgp
Refrain from offering facial recognition services