In 2011, the FTC announced a settlement with Google regarding its social networking service Google...

The FTC alleged that Google violated its own privacy policies, engaged in deceptive trade practices, and failed to comply with Safe Harbor principles when it launched Google Buzz, a social networking service that automatically enrolled Gmail users and exposed their email contacts and other personal information without their consent or control. The FTC did not allege that Google failed to employ sufficient security safeguards, although it did require Google to implement a comprehensive privacy program and submit to regular privacy audits as part of the settlement. The other statements are incorrect because:

A. Violated its own privacy policies: The FTC alleged that Google violated its own privacy policies by using information collected from Gmail users for a purpose that was incompatible with the purpose for which the information was collected, without obtaining their affirmative consent. Google’s privacy policy stated that "When you sign up for a particular service that requires registration, we ask you to provide personal information. If we use this information in a manner different than the purpose for which it was collected, then we will ask for your consent prior to such use."1

B. Engaged in deceptive trade practices: The FTC alleged that Google engaged in deceptive trade practices by misrepresenting the extent to which consumers could exercise control over the collection, use, and sharing of their personal information through Google Buzz. For example, Google offered consumers the option to decline or turn off Google Buzz, but the option was ineffective and did not fully remove the consumer from the social network. Google also misled consumers about how their email contacts would be treated on Google Buzz, and failed to disclose that certain information, such as the user’s frequent email contacts, would be made public by default.1

C. Failed to comply with Safe Harbor principles: The FTC alleged that Google failed to comply with the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework, which provides a method for U.S. companies to transfer personal data from the European Union to the United States in a way that meets EU data protection requirements. Google had self-certified to the Department of Commerce that it adhered to the Safe Harbor Privacy Principles, which include notice, choice, access, and enforcement. The FTC alleged that Google’s conduct violated the notice and choice principles, as well as the requirement to adhere to the Safe Harbor FAQs.1 References: FTC Charges Deceptive Privacy Practices in Google’s Rollout of Its Buzz Social Network, Google, Inc., In the Matter of, Google settles with FTC over Buzz; Privacy policies to be audited for two decades, Google Settles FTC Complaint over Google Buzz Privacy