google creates the wrong Buzz
Google's launch of its Buzz social networking platform has been a PR own-goal, says Dougal Paver.
Google has a rather lofty aim now that it is comfortable with its hold on the world's on-line habits. It is "to do no evil."
The problem with such a promise is that people hold you to it - and the launch of google's social networking site, Buzz, has caused many to question its sincerity.
The whole cock-up is described very well here but the truncated version is this: holders of google's gmail accounts have been automatically 'opted in' to Buzz, the programming of which opens users' private data and web habits to global scrutiny.
The lawyers were in full swing faster than you could say 'class action' and case studies of indignant users upset that their private data has been shared are popping up all over the place.
For google this is a problem: brands are built on - and sustained by - trust and Buzz has undermined faith in google in a quite spectacular fashion. Google has sensibly acknowledged the problems and told people about its plans to put things right, but for many the harm has already been done.
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