Search giant Google generated maximum possible ‘buzz’ in the social networking space ever since they came up with its latest social feature Buzz last week. Unveiling of Google Buzz, which allows users to share status updates, photos, videos, comments among others, did take many by surprise (surprise primarily because Google already has a social networking site Orkut) and has set tongues wagging about whether it can get into competition mode with the likes of Facebook and Twitter.
But, before one broaches more about whether competition in the social networking space would get cut-throat with launch of Google Buzz, it’s important to see things in perspective. The general feeling in the social media circles is that Google was in a hurry to get this social networking feature out, and the product wasn’t tested properly.
Not just that the product testing was inadequate, even what has got people talking as to why Google Buzz wasn’t launched as a standalone application instead of being routed through Gmail, Google’s email program. It has to be kept in mind that Google already has a standalone social network – Orkut, and one is not sure whether that prompted the decision-makers in Google to unveil Google Buzz through Gmail.
Clearly, the beginning of Google Buzz has been rocky with users raising privacy issues on a big scale. The prime concern is regarding Google Buzz publicly sharing details of users’ closest contacts.
For instance, if you are in the process of opening a new account, a dialogue box will ask you to create a profile and upload a photograph. Buzz then automatically creates a buddy list based on names you frequently email or chat from your Gmail account by default, something which can never be acceptable to any user, no matter which social network it is.
To put it simply, if a user is exchanging mails with a doctor for medical reasons, the said user may not necessarily be his friend and may not wish to have him in the social network but Google Buzz will automatically show the doctor as one you followed in your social network. This privacy feature has attracted a huge backlash among Google Buzz users. For now though, Google has to pull up its socks. It needs to fix up its loose ends if they are to ensure their newest social product makes its mark in the market and nurture ambitions of posing serious competition to Facebook and Twitter. The coming months will give a fair idea of whether Google Buzz becomes a success story or not.