How to make Google Buzz private?

How to Make Google Buzz Profiles Private

• Answer:

  Online privacy has recently become an important consideration with the widespread use of social networking. These sites often release new "features" to enhance the user experience, but these features often expose some of your information to the general public by default. This information may be something you would prefer to keep private or restricted to a certain group of contacts. Google Buzz is one such site with a new privacy policy that has left many of its users wondering how to make their information more private. Difficulty: Moderately Easy Instructions Open your web browser and go to Google's homepage. Sign into your Google account by clicking on the "Sign In' link at the top right of the screen. Click on the small blue arrow next to your name after you log into your account. Select "Account Settings" from the drop-down menu. Click the "Edit Profile" link, which is under your name on the left side of the screen. Modify or delete any information in the "About" tab of the "Edit Profile" screen. Any information in this section is viewable on your public profile. Click on the "Search Visibility" section and uncheck the box "Help others find my profile in search results," then click "Save." This prevents your profile from appearing in any Google searches. Click on the "Profile URL" section and select the obfuscated URL option rather than the default URL option. The default URL includes your profile name, so the obfuscated URL will make it more difficult for someone to find your profile. Click the "Done Editing" button in the top orange menu bar of the screen. You will now see your profile just as anyone else would see it. If the information displayed is still not to your comfort level, you can click the "Edit Profile" button and further modify your public information. Tips & Warnings Warning: Due to the newest privacy policies of Google Profiles, you cannot have a Google Buzz profile completely private. At the very least, your profile will expose your name. All other information in your profile can be made private. If this is still unacceptable, you can choose to delete your Google Buzz profile, which will prevent you from using Google Buzz. However, your Google Mail account will remain active and available to you.