Having dominated the internet thoroughly for this past decade, it was probably just a matter of time before Google engineered a massive screw-up. It came a few weeks ago, with the launch of Google Buzz. The social networking feature, integrated to a fault with Gmail, essentially publishes your contact list to everyone else on your contact list. By default. That’s just stupid – a presumption that everyone wants their email box to be facebooked.
It didn’t take long for the backlash to set in, as blog posts and tweets warned off the masses. Here’s a rundown from Richard Waters of Financial Times, along with an ominous conclusion:
Whatever the reality, botching the launch of the strategically important Buzz has intensified a feeling that has been growing as Google has sought to extend its reach: that it is deliberately using its dominance in one area to gain a stronger foothold in new markets, much as arch-rival Microsoft did before it.
Even now, Google seems to be stumbling over their own feet while backpedaling. It may be clearer now how users go about disabling Buzz, but indications are that doing so also eliminates your Google profile. Nice. Chris Brogan points it out via Marsha Collier.
Buzz might eventually turn out to be a highly useful addition to Google’s armada of tools. Or it might not. Personally, I’d rather see them focusing more on making Wave user-friendly.
