Google fixes Buzz to deal with privacy

Google launched Buzz with plenty of fireworks last week but quickly made an about face to fix the product after a firestorm of protest about privacy. Todd Jackson, product manager for Gmail and Google Buzz, announced in a blog post on Saturday that Google had decided to alter one of the criticized features in the product designed to go up against Facebook and Twitter.

Instead of automatically connecting people to each other, Buzz will merely suggest to a new user a group of people they may want to follow or be followed by. You won't be set up to follow anyone until you have reviewed the suggestions and clicked "Follow selected people and start using Buzz."

"Google remains completely committed to freedom of expression and to privacy, and we have a strong track record of protecting both," Jackson said.

Google's backtracking is clearly a sign to private sector companies that the public is aware of their privacy rights and do not want them violated. And it should be clear to any private sector IT exec that they must tread lightly in dealing with their company's privacy rights. Critics were vocal about a feature believed to violate their privacy and send just about anyone into their blogosphere.

And as a result, Buzz now comes with a few changes. It even includes a link so that you can make the decision at the beginning of the process about what level of participation in Buzz you want to take.

For more on Buzz's mea culpa:
- see this New York Times article
- see this cnet.com article

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