Google just did something it very rarely does: it sent every Gmail user an e-mail, informing them that a settlement has been reached in the class action lawsuit regarding Google Buzz.
The settlement actually dates from September, when Google announced it has made changes to the Google Buzz interface and agreed to pay $8.5 million to an independent fund, whose aim is to support organizations that promote Internet privacy.
So, why inform users about the settlement two months later? This part of the e-mail gives us a hint: "Just to be clear, this is not a settlement in which people who use Gmail can file to receive compensation." In other words, all Gmail users from the U.S. have won the settlement, but are not entitled to actually receive any money from Google.