Dear Google, My Friends Are Scary, Can I Opt Out?

Monday, December 17th, 2007 by Andy Beal

Dear Google, My Friends Are Scary, Can I Opt Out?

If you’re a user of Google Reader, you’ve probably already discovered that your friends shared items are starting to show up in your account. In addition, you may have also spotted that Google is moving into the social networking business with the introduction of “Google Profiles.”

Both of these services scare me!

OK, so my friends aren’t scary–although I’m sure it won’t be long before they start sharing stuff that my innocent eyes would rather not see–but what is scary is that Google won’t let me opt-out of these services. In fact, according to Google, I’m pretty much SOL.

Take a look at the shared items in my Google Reader account. Sure, I can manually hide items, but can I stop new ones from showing up? Here’s Google’s suggestion:

Removing a friend

To remove a friend from your list, delete them from your Gmail contacts:

1. Open your Contacts list by clicking Contacts on the left side of any Gmail page.

2. Select the contact you’d like to remove.

3. Click Delete Contact at the top of the page.

4. Click OK.

See, no “opt-out.” If I want to stop the sharing insanity, I have to delete the friend from my contacts.

OK, but surely I can prevent others from viewing the newly created Google Profile, right? After all, I didn’t ask for it, and if I wanted everyone to know about my life, I’d share that info on Twitter or Facebook.

Well, there’s no opting out of Google Profiles either. I can edit the information to the point of uselessness, but I can’t simply opt-out of the service.

I know what you’re thinking: “Andy, what’s the big deal? This is information that you’re already sharing anyway!” I know, and I’m really not looking to opt-out….yet! But, do you know what Google has planned for Google Profiles or shared items? Do any of us know? All I know is that it’s a little worrying that a company that has access to all of my data, won’t give me an off switch. Give it another ten years, and this is what will play out…

Andy: Google, I’d like to stop sharing my information with the world.

Google: I’m afraid I can’t let you do that, Andy.

Happy Monday!

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12 comments on “Dear Google, My Friends Are Scary, Can I Opt Out?”

S.Hamel Says:

December 17th, 2007 at 8:37 am

Andy, what about using the nice “Manage friends” link just under “Friend’s shared items”? From there, you can hide or show your contact’s shared items without actually deleting them from your contact list

I’m a lot more scared by Facebook’ way of sharing your friends friends information all the time. Just this morning: “Aurelie Pols and René Dechamps Otamendi are now friends with Nathalie Perreaux.” Do I know that “Nathalie”? Do Aurelie & René want me to know they are friends with her? Do I even care?
Andy Beal Says:

December 17th, 2007 at 8:55 am

@S.Hamel – yeah, I mention that option in the article. Still, why does it need to rest on my shoulders? Why can’t I just tell Google “thanks, but, no thanks?”
lex g Says:

December 17th, 2007 at 9:23 am

Andy,

Who needs friends anyway ? Just delete them ..
VentureBeat » Google’s social network: Creepy more than social Says:

December 17th, 2007 at 12:50 pm

[...] Or, as Andy Beal said: [Reader,] I know what you’re thinking: “Andy, what’s the big deal? This is information that you’re already sharing anyway!” I know, and I’m really not looking to opt-out….yet! But, do you know what Google has planned for Google Profiles or shared items? Do any of us know? All I know is that it’s a little worrying that a company that has access to all of my data, won’t give me an off switch. [ Give it another ten years, and this is what will play out… [...]
lux Says:

December 17th, 2007 at 1:37 pm

The drumbeat of concern over the level of involvement Google has with our online lives is going to get louder, not softer, as time goes by.
» Orkut Connects With Your Gmail Contacts » InsideGoogle-part of the Blog News Channel Says:

December 17th, 2007 at 3:52 pm

[...] products, now letting you find your Gmail contacts’ Orkut accounts, if they have one. Google’s also building a profile section for your Google Account, though it apparently overlooked privacy in every reasonable way, including [...]
Um. Says:

December 17th, 2007 at 5:24 pm

When you originally shared your reader items you made them public. They have always been visible. You opted-in on day one.
Andy Beal Says:

December 17th, 2007 at 7:33 pm

@Um – true, but I didn’t opt-in to have a profile shared across the web. I also didn’t opt in to view all of my friends stuff.
Googleâ€™s social network: Creepy more than socialVentureBeat | Techitorial Gadget Reviews and Tech Updates Says:

December 17th, 2007 at 8:50 pm

[...] Or, as Andy Beal said: [Reader,] I know what youâ€™re thinking: â€œAndy, whatâ€™s the big deal? that is info that youâ€™re already sharing anyway!â€ I know, and Iâ€™m really not looking to opt-outâ€¦.yet! But, do you know what Google has planned for Google Profiles or shared items? Do any of us know? All I know is that itâ€™s a little worrying that a company that has access to all of my input, wonâ€™t give me an off switch. [ Give it another ten years, and that is what will play outâ€¦ [...]
Kelley Mitchell Says:

December 18th, 2007 at 1:52 pm

I loved the line from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Google has become HAL! Thanks for sharing Andy.
Friday Spiked Eggnog Time Says:

December 21st, 2007 at 12:43 pm

[...] Andy summed up the GoogleBorg reader no opt-out. 1984 anyone? What happens when Freddy Kruger tracks me down via Google profiles? If I’m not [...]
Unit Structures – Social Networks can’t be Bootstrapped Says:

August 22nd, 2008 at 1:12 pm

[...] will change how we feel about these products. Identical to Facebook’s Beacon, Google faces a terrible tradeoff in unifying users across properties; while the move will provide fuel for the social experience, it [...]