Google Buzz

[Bigaldoc]

I didn't even know there was such a thing and I am a Gmail user. Overnight I got a rare email from Google about the settlement of a class action suit concerning Google Buzz and privacy. It says that all Gmail users are included by default unless you opt out. It looks like a USA only thing. Even though there is an $8.5 million figure in the email, it doesn't look like any individual user compensation is involved.

[HansV]

Make sure that Buzz is not turned on in your Gmail! It's off in mine:

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The $8.5 million will be donated "to an independent fund, most of which will support organizations promoting privacy education and policy on the web".

[Jezza]

Yep, switched off my Buzz link months ago as yet "another" gizmo I just didn't need to have

[Bigaldoc]

Make sure that Buzz is not turned on in your Gmail! It's off in mine ...

Thanks Hans. I'm glad I made the post because not only did I never hear of Buzz, but I have never been in my Gmail settings ONLINE! I have now though!

When I opened my account 1½ years ago I immediately set it up for POP access and that's the only way I use it. My use is rare anyway (such as in my Lounge sig which has yielded a few emails this year).

Edited to add: I forgot to say that also, thanks to your "prodding" I discovered that all the messages I HAVE received POP were still in my Inbox. I have now changed that to delete them when I access via POP.

[JohnH]

I got introduced to it a while ago - maybe a year..forget - but couldn't find any use for it and just forgot about it.

I have just turned it off now. Thanks for the reminder.

[BobH]

I'm with BigAl!

I set up a couple of gmail accounts to use as "burned" addresses. I don't know if I'm buzzing or not. How do I find out? If I am, how do I change it?

[HansV]

Go to Gmail in your browser and log in. There's a list of features that can be turned on/off below the list of e-mails (see screenshot higher up in this thread). If the list contains "Turn on buzz", it's currently off. If the list contains "Turn off buzz", it's currently on, and you should click the link to turn it off.

[BobH]

OK! Thanks, Hans!

It took some persistence and looking but I think I finally turned buzz off.

Do you know if it's possible to delete a gmail account? If so, how does one do it?

[HansV]

See Canceling your Gmail address - Gmail Help.

[viking33]

Go to Gmail in your browser and log in. There's a list of features that can be turned on/off below the list of e-mails (see screenshot higher up in this thread). If the list contains "Turn on buzz", it's currently off. If the list contains "Turn off buzz", it's currently on, and you should click the link to turn it off.

Probably like millions of others, I had buzz turned on. Didn't even realize what is was and why it was.
It's now turned OFF.

[HansV]

Although Google has been very successful with its search engine, it has failed in the social networking area. The way they started Buzz was a major gaffe - without asking users for permission, they turned on Buzz for everyone, then added all mutual contacts to the "friends" list. You can imagine the embarrassing situations that has caused... This "feature" was undone quickly after a wave of protests, but the damage was done.

[Goshute]

There's also a Buzz tab in the current version GMail Settings page which offers a "Disable" option. I had Buzz turned off - I did that as soon as Buzz was offered and don't really remember why.

[Bigaldoc]

So I'm glad I brought it up here!

[BobH]

Yes! Thank you, BigAl!

I was not aware that it had been rolled out by google. Apparently it was a passive opt-in, which I think should be illegal an create liabilities far beyond the settlement. I also believe that the requirement to opt-out of a class you never knew you were a part of should be held to be illegal.

I've come to be as averse toward google as I am toward microsofat. To err is human. To really foul up requires computers. The be hellishly vile requires you to be a software company.

[westerneagle]

Ok Hans,

I want to know why you blocked out how much of your Gmail space allotment your are using??

Are you ashamed that you are using too little. . . or to much. . . . ??

If EVERYONE used all their allotment. . . would Gmail crash

I am using 12%. . . .

[HansV]

There was no real need for that. I've had to edit screenshots a few times because I left in personal information, and this time I erred on the cautious side.

(I use very little, actually - less than 1%. From time to time I download older e-mails that I want to keep to my hard disk and remove them from Gmail.)

[Goshute]

I've had to edit screenshots a few times because I left in personal information, and this time I erred on the cautious side.

As do I.
Q: How many paranoids does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Who wants to know?