Musings from Ari's dad

  Could you buzz a little Buzz for me… Hmmm… maybe not  

Google’ Buzz is powerful but I think Google’s tight integration with Gmail was a poor decision. To be clear, I am not against integrating it with Gmail - in my opinion that is what makes Buzz so much more powerful. What I dislike is the poorly explained service and its default tight integration with Google’s services and profile; but even worse is the utter lack of simple and clear controls on how far Buzz can assimilate into our personal fabric of online life (albeit Google-powered i.e. Gmail, Picasa, YouTube, search, Chromse bookmarks, Google Docs, Voice, GReader… need I go on?). Google is undoubtedly aware of its tremendous value to so many users because it, well just works so well, and it costs nothing. So should they not have considered our potential concerns before they integrated Buzz so tightly? Personally, I think they did but an engineering mindset drove their product requirements. Sadly the end result is very much like Apple’s trust-us-we-know-this-is-the-right-way attitude (which is getting no attention due to its current success, but thats another discussion).

Learn about Buzz and how to use it smartly from the links below (note: articles are listed in oldest-to-newest order; read them all before taking any action).

http://lifehacker.com/5470104/google-updates-explains-buzz-privacy-setup

http://lifehacker.com/5470513/how-buzz-exposes-private-email-addresses-in-replies

http://lifehacker.com/5471122/how-a-simple-url-hack-can-expose-your-gmail-address

http://lifehacker.com/5470671/top-10-google-settings-you-should-know-about?skyline=true&s=i

http://lifehacker.com/5471258/buzz-drops-auto+following-wont-automatically-connect-to-google-services-adds-better-disable

  Does Buzz make it TMI with Google?  

I am a shameless Google junkie for three reasons - seamless integration between cloud, mobile and big-computing-device, significantly higher-than-average quality and free, free, free. I became an ardent fan of the organization based on their credo of no evil. But with its growing set of compelling apps only increasing my dependence, I am now concerned about my data. Previously when I bought an app for my computer, the vendor continued to own the software (and the right to revoke my license to use it). But never my data. Even if they decided to revoke my license for, say illegal activity, they still never owned whatever I created using their app. But with Google, I get the sense that I dont really completely own my data. Of course I get some rudimentary control over how Google may use it but I dont have the options of
- portable data that I can extract from Google and take with me wherever I wish to go (at least not in a comprehensive manner say I wish to stop using Gmail and wish to extract my emails)
- selectively exposing what data can be used by Google

The common argument for this is trade-control-for-price. And I accept it. But I am also willing to pay for Google’s services if it provides me these two options. Because the amount of my personal data that they now have (thanks to their wonderful services) is beginning to get me worried. And Buzz may just be the tipping point for me.

Thoughts? Comments? This is my first tumblog bumble so I would love to hear from you.