Buzz follows all my email contacts

[ndebord]

This is not good. Google's new Buzz social site (competition to FaceBook) has unilaterally linked/followed all my email contacts. They took my email addressbook and used every contact I have to set up their service.

Now I found out that I had not ever set up a profile on my main email, so I guess I'm not linked with all my email addresses there, but my wife did set up a profile for her blogger site and so all her email contacts from her google account are now followed (their term) or linked.

What can I do to get rid of this behavior and secondarily, how can I modify my wife's blog so she doesn't use Profiles or removes profiles from it as this is no longer secure.

I mean, your email contacts are supposed to be yours and nobody elses.

[sidney]

What can I do to get rid of this behavior and secondarily, how can I modify my wife's blog so she doesn't use Profiles or removes profiles from it as this is no longer secure.

Just be glad that your situation is not as bad as the blogger in this article: Google Buzz Privacy Issues Have Real Life Implications (http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/12/google-buzz-privacy/) when Buzz automatically gave her third most frequent GMail contact, her abusive ex-husband, access to comments intended for her current boyfriend and her mother.

Buzz privacy issues have kicked up a firestorm. One of the better articles: Google Buzz: Privacy nightmare (http://news.cnet.com/8301-31322_3-10451428-256.html)

Here's a Google blog article on changes they have made in response to the mess, containing instructions on how to set some privacy options: ...improvements based on your feedback (http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/millions-of-buzz-users-and-improvements.html)

PCWorld has a good article with details on setting options and a privacy checklist for Buzz that might include some implications that you might not think about at first. For example, it was use of Google Reader combined with use of Buzz that resulted in that blogger's workplace information being revealed to her ex-husband. Google Buzz: A Privacy Checklist (http://www.pcworld.com/article/189124/google_buzz_a_privacy_checklist.html)

[update:] Another good article goes into even greater detail about all the privacy problems that Google has managed to introduce. There's a really creepy one for people with an Android phone who use GMail and Buzz from their phone -- The messages can be tagged with location from the Android's built-in GPS and automatically broadcast to any Buzz users (not just followers) who are listed as being nearby. Google Buzz: Not fit for purpose (http://charman-anderson.com/2010/02/11/google-buzz-not-fit-for-purpose/)

[davidh]

Microsoft, Borg, Google, Military, Federales, Mafia, etc., regardless:

"resistance is futile"

"you will be assimilated" :rolleyes:

[ndebord]

Just be glad that your situation is not as bad as the blogger in this article: Google Buzz Privacy Issues Have Real Life Implications (http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/12/google-buzz-privacy/) when Buzz automatically gave her third most frequent GMail contact, her abusive ex-husband, access to comments intended for her current boyfriend and her mother.

Buzz privacy issues have kicked up a firestorm. One of the better articles: Google Buzz: Privacy nightmare (http://news.cnet.com/8301-31322_3-10451428-256.html)

Here's a Google blog article on changes they have made in response to the mess, containing instructions on how to set some privacy options: ...improvements based on your feedback (http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/millions-of-buzz-users-and-improvements.html)

PCWorld has a good article with details on setting options and a privacy checklist for Buzz that might include some implications that you might not think about at first. For example, it was use of Google Reader combined with use of Buzz that resulted in that blogger's workplace information being revealed to her ex-husband. Google Buzz: A Privacy Checklist (http://www.pcworld.com/article/189124/google_buzz_a_privacy_checklist.html)

[update:] Another good article goes into even greater detail about all the privacy problems that Google has managed to introduce. There's a really creepy one for people with an Android phone who use GMail and Buzz from their phone -- The messages can be tagged with location from the Android's built-in GPS and automatically broadcast to any Buzz users (not just followers) who are listed as being nearby. Google Buzz: Not fit for purpose (http://charman-anderson.com/2010/02/11/google-buzz-not-fit-for-purpose/)

Sidney,

I'll settle for being able to keep my wife's blog without her email contacts being broadcast simply because she is using Blogger and has a profile on it, which is a required element of the software.

Thanks for the links. I'll follow them now.

[ndebord]

[update:] Another good article goes into even greater detail about all the privacy problems that Google has managed to introduce. There's a really creepy one for people with an Android phone who use GMail and Buzz from their phone -- The messages can be tagged with location from the Android's built-in GPS and automatically broadcast to any Buzz users (not just followers) who are listed as being nearby. Google Buzz: Not fit for purpose (http://charman-anderson.com/2010/02/11/google-buzz-not-fit-for-purpose/)

Sidney,

Now that is creepy indeed. I've managed to avoid the iPhone and Android with a semi-smart phone (SE TM506 - T-Mobile) that does Opera and tethers either directly to my laptop or through a router designed for 3G connections (Cradlepoint 350). Allows me to have a mini wifi network in my house for 20 bucks a month 24/7 unlimited data (grandfathered plan). I am interested in getting a new phone, but open source, perhaps Symbian.