Google will ask users of its social network Buzz to review their privacy settings starting April 5.

This follows a series of privacy related concerns and updates following the initial launch of the service. I mentioned some of the concerns here in a post: Google Acknowledges Privacy Issues With Buzz amid FTC complaint

The latest tweaks will also show every aspect of a user’s profile, from public settings to the websites users are connected to, and who they are following or being followed by.

“Shortly after launching Google Buzz, we quickly realised we didn’t get everything right and moved as fast as possible to improve the Buzz experience,” said Buzz product manager Todd Jackson in a blog post.

“Offering everyone who uses our products transparency and control is very important to us.”, he continues.

The blogosphere has reacted positively to the proposed changes.

“While we can say that this is what we wanted at launch, it is heartening to see it now,” said Alex Wilhelm, of TheNextWeb.

Ben Parr, associate editor at social media blog Mashable, said that while the changes could not fix the damage already done, they might “help get Congress off [Google's] back”.

“If it can appease critics on the privacy issues, then it can tackle the bigger challenge: making Google Buzz into a competitive threat to Twitter and Facebook.”

The Google Buzz team has promised more updates in the future.

Facebook users are expressing strong disapproval of proposed privacy changes will let the site share some user information with third-party Web sites and applications. Have you added your voice? These social networking sites have a captive audience which many businesses will pay a pretty penny to have access to and get information about.

When Google decided to unilaterally opt Gmail users into Buzz and share your contact information, it received bad press and an FTC filing. I can only hope the same and more happens here.

Under Facebook’s current rules you’re asked first if you want to share information (your name, photos and friends list) with third-party sites. The proposed policy, which Facebook hasn’t implemented yet, would bypass asking you for approval when visiting some sites and applications Facebook has business relationships with, sharing limited personal information automatically.

Tell Facebook how you feel about it here: http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=376904492130

Although Google has acknowledged some of the privacy concerns with Buzz and is taking [baby] steps to address them, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) on filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission about Google Buzz last week. “The primary issue is that users who signed up for Gmail have now found themselves users of a social networking service,” said Jared Kaprove, EPIC’s domestic surveillance counsel, in a phone interview. “E-mail is not completely private, but it’s ordinarily thought of as a private process.”

The problem, as framed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, “is that your e-mail and chat contacts are not necessarily people you want to advertise as friends via a public social network.”

Google could have saved itself all the trouble by making this an opt-in service. But alas, no.

Raise your hand if you have a Gmail account you use only for business. So how do you feel about the fact that Google decided to automatically add a social networking component into your business account, connect you with those you frequently communicate AND made that information public by publishing it on the profiles of all your connections. Are you a doctor? Lawyer? This should be hugely problematic to you. The pure hubris of this doesn’t astound me as we are talking able Google here but where is the uproar? The OUTRAGE?? The press coverage??

I dare say any other company might have made this an opt-in feature thus allowing users who chose to have this functionality to enable is consciously. This is the right way to do it.

But wait, it gets worse: The “turn off buzz” switch provided doesn’t actually disable it. It just hides it within Gmail. All your connections still show up in your profile page and Buzz is still active. Accessing your account from a mobile device will show Buzz enabled.

CNET has posted an article on how to properly disable buzz, include screenshots. The steps include:

1. First, you delete your google profile. You don’t hide it or change the name. You have to delete it completely. This doesn’t destroy your overall google account, but it does limit some of your functions. Here’s how to delete your profile.
2. You have to go into buzz and manually delete your connections, including blocking everyone who is following you already.
3. Now it’s safe to go back to Gmail and click “turn off buzz.”

Update: Power to the people!! In response to the concerns raised over the privacy of status updates (see below), Google has revamped the buzz interface  to give users more (obvious?) control over who can view that information.See blog post from Google Product Manager, Todd Jackson

http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/millions-of-buzz-users-and-improvements.html

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Not leaving any stone unturned, Google has joined the Social Networking foray.  Earlier this week, Google introduced Google Buzz which adds social networking features to Gmail. Will this be the one to replace them all? Or just another addition to the long list? Check it video below.

Here’s a great feature that should interest you. Buzz compiles a list of the Gmail contacts you most frequently email or chat with and automatically starts following these people. It also makes the list public, meaning strangers can see who Buzz users have been in contact with. Emailed an old girlfriend/boyfriend lately? How about a recruiter at a competitor company? Don’t get buzzed, folks!