Buzz Kill

[aelfgyfu_mead]

In case you haven't heard, the new Google Buzz tends to reveal rather more than many people realized it would reveal (cleolinda has a few details here). If you've already turned it on, turning it off is insufficient. Thanks to rydra_wong for the links to the previously-mentioned entry and what seems to be the best info now: Buzz off: Disabling Google Buzz.

I want to spread the word because I fear this could be a serious problem for some people.

I'm also pretty shocked. Call me naïve (I'm sure someone will), but even though I'm a bit suspicious of Google and its power, I really like my Gmail, and it never crossed my mind that Buzz would be bad. I hadn't turned it on because I simply hadn't got round to reading what it was and did, but I'm not sure that reading the description would have alerted me to potential problems: like the fact that my Gmail address is my fic name, but I use it to e-mail some other fans whose real identities I know using their real names, thereby potentially compromising their separation of real life person and online persona.

ETA: DISREGARD AS WRONG: Apparently, if you never used it at all, you can simply just click the "turn Buzz off" at the bottom of your Gmail safely. (If anyone knows otherwise, please alert me!)

Comments

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Apparently, if you never used it at all, you can simply just click the "turn Buzz off" at the bottom of your Gmail safely. (If anyone knows otherwise, please alert me!) If you turned it on, I repeat: turning it off is not sufficient to protect yourself. Check out the link above.

Nope. Your name will still turn up on other people's lists unless you physically tell google you don't want it.

(so if I activated buzz and I had you as an email contact, you'd show up on my list even if you hadn't)

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Hee!! I'd not even looked at it yet - just shut it off. I don't really HAVE a profile, so I'm all good it seems...

*hugs*

Thanks for this heads up!

[cleothemuse.livejournal.com]

Ah, Google... as far as their CEO is concerned, any and all information out on the web is fair game for anyone and everyone to access.

Is it any wonder Firefox's execs have been suggesting users switch to Bing?