Yesterday, Gmail users received an email from Google that lead with: "Google rarely contacts Gmail users via email, but we are making an exception . . . " Apparently Google has finalized the settlement in the Buzz lawsuit filed earlier this year after some users complained that Google's Buzz violated user privacy.
Find out more about the disclosure, suit, and settlement after the break.
After yesterday's reconfirmation of privacy settings, Google has released a video aimed at teens using Google Buzz. The two-minute video spells out exactly what Buzz is, exactly who uses it, and exactly who you could be sharing your information with.
While the video is aimed at teenagers, it's a good refresher for users of any social network. Points covered in the video include keeping private information private, controlling your profile, and knowing how to turn it off, among others. I've fallen victim to the occasional online overshare, so if you find yourself guilty of the same, take a quick look at the video above. Also: props to Google for taking steps to address this issue!
Almost immediately after its launch, Google Buzz was criticized for its lack of privacy features. Google responded almost immediately with changes to default Buzz settings, and it was even rumored to be removing Buzz from Gmail, which never actually happened.
Regardless, Google has made a real point of refining and explaining Buzz's privacy settings. Today, Google will ask all Buzz users to reconfirm their privacy settings. The screen, which will begin rolling out to users later today, will explain all of the changes the Buzz team has made and display your current settings, including links to all sites connected to your Buzz account. You'll then be asked to accept your current settings or be prompted to change them. To check up on your current privacy settings (or disable Buzz completely), open the "Settings" menu in Gmail and click on the "Buzz" tab. You'll see which items will pop up in your inbox, which sites you have currently connected to Buzz, and your contacts.
This week's big Google Buzz announcement may have been the hottest news item, but I found some great new products at this year's Macworld Expo, started gearing up for Valentine's Day, and got excited about this year's Olympics. Check out these stories and others you might have missed this week in my weekly recap.
As soon as Google Buzz was announced, people around the Internet began questioning the service. Was it giving away too much information? Potentially exposing your Gmail address? I worried that I would unintentionally share content with someone I didn't want reading my feed.
Google was listening and is now responding to concerns via a blog post. Included in the immediate changes are more visible privacy controls both during the Buzz setup process and on your profile page. Also included: the ability to block anyone following you, allaying my concern.
Google also mentioned it is thinking of operating Buzz independently of Gmail, so conceivably anyone could participate, not only those with a Gmail account. While I don't think any of the new changes are necessarily making content more private, they are making it easier to understand just how much information you're sharing with contacts. And if you're still concerned about privacy, you can always turn Buzz off completely.
Update: Looks like Google has responded with a statement saying they can't confirm the separation between Gmail and Buzz just yet.
Reactions were mixed after yesterday's Google Buzz announcement. Many people seemed skeptical of the new feature; after all, we already have Twitter, Facebook, and so many other ways of keeping in touch with friends . . . Is this overkill?
I can't decide if I'm on the Buzz train yet. On one hand, it's built into Gmail so it's easy to use and already includes most of my friends and most-emailed contacts. On the other, I'm still afraid it's a little too easy to post something you may not want everyone reading, and the potential for oversharing is huge. What do you think?
During a press conference held today in Mountain View, CA, Google announced its latest innovation: Google Buzz. Google Buzz allows you to share and communicate inside Gmail like a social network. Taking on other social networks like Facebook and Twitter, Google Buzz and your Google Profile can bring you content from people you email and chat with most, as well as from people worldwide. Google Buzz has a few key features:
To find out more about Google Buzz, and some other announcements and enhancements, just read more
