Privacy, Gmail Contacts and Google Buzz

If you use gmail you should be aware that Google Buzz automatically shares your most recent email contacts and that Buzz is automatically active.

You do not need to create a Buzz profile, only use a service like reader and your most recent contacts are automatically shared.

If you have a Buzz profile and you don’t want the world to see your contacts you need to set your profile to private. Nobody will be able to see any details about you, but your contacts will be safe –except from those people you allow to see your profile.

If you don’t use a Buzz go to the bottom of your email page and look in the tiny print for a link that says turn off Buzz. –Click that.

Addendum:
Google has changed things a bit.
If you have ever used Buzz and have turned it off I would suggest that you log in to your gmail account and turn it back on then turn it off again.

The new turn it off feature gives you a chance to delete anything you might have posted and remove any followers.

I’m not certain if this will change anything, and I will never again trust Google, but I took the extra step and it made me feel better about the whole process.