[LINK] Google (maybe) changes Buzz

[Jan Whitaker]

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/google-buzz-tweaked-after-privacy-complaints-20100214-nzcj.html

Facing a a large number of privacy complaints, Google has made 
changes to Google Buzz, the new social networking tool it added to 
its free email service Gmail.

"There's been concern from some people who thought their contacts 
were being made public without their knowledge," Gmail and Google 
Buzz product manager Todd Jackson said in a blog post.

"Others felt they had too little control over who could follow them 
and were upset that they lacked the ability to block people who 
didn't yet have public profiles from following them."

Among the concerns aired in technology blogs and elsewhere was that 
Google Buzz was taking a user's Gmail contacts and automatically 
adding them to their public Buzz social network.

Several commentators noted that they did not necessarily want their 
email contacts made public like Facebook friends.

Jackson said Gmail users will now have to create a Google Buzz public 
profile and will be notified that "lists of people you follow and the 
people following you will be displayed on your public profile".

"You can view, edit and even hide these lists," Jackson said. "The 
lists of your followers/people you follow are not made public on your 
profile until after you go through this profile creation step."

Jackson said Google was also giving users the ability to block anyone 
following their account.

He said "tens of millions" of people have used Buzz since it was 
launched on Tuesday, "creating over nine million posts and comments".

"It's still early, and we have a long list of improvements on the 
way. We look forward to hearing more suggestions and will continue to 
improve the Buzz experience, with user transparency and control top of mind."

Google Buzz allows Gmail users to get updates about what friends are 
doing online and offers ways to share video, photos and other 
digitised snippets.

Some technology analysts describe it as a direct challenge by Google 
to social networking stars Facebook and Twitter.

AFP



Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

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