Google, Web, Social Networking
How to Tighten Your Google Buzz Privacy Settings
There's plenty of excitement around Google's new Buzz social networking tool right now, but, as is the case with any new technology, there are also concerns. Questions have arisen regarding whether it will prove distracting rather than useful (especially when it's integrated into your inbox), and of what the privacy implications will be.
Some concern has been expressed over how Buzz handles lists of followers and profiles, as well. By default, the list of people you follow, and the people following you is publicly available. To make matters worse, the default URL on your Google profile is usually your e-mail address with the "@gmail.com" chopped off.
You can change your privacy settings by visiting your Google Profile and clicking "Edit Profile" in the top right-hand corner. At the top of the "About Me" tab you'll find an option reading: "Display the list of people I'm following and people following me." Un-check the box next to it in order to hide those lists from public view. At the bottom of the same tab you'll find the option to change your profile URL to (what we hope is) a random number.
If you want to opt out of Buzz entirely, scroll down to the bottom of your Gmail page, and click on the tiny "turn off Buzz" link.
We won't judge Buzz until all the kinks are ironed out, but we do have one critical question: how will Google protect user privacy now that Buzz is taking our accounts public? [From: Lifehacker]
