The New Google+, Plus 1 And Your Email Privacy (Publicity)

Google+; Where the Google+1 Button Lives

Most of us have heard by now about Google+, or at least the Google+1 button.

Currently in a trial phase, Google+ is available on a limited basis. Users can invite 15 people, or you can sign up here for updates.

The ‘+1′ button in Google+ it is similar to how the ‘Like’ button appears in Facebook, except that you have a list of your ‘+1′s in a profile tab.

I stumbled across Google+1 as I checked my Gmail the other day and found a notification that said someone had ‘added me’ on ‘Google+’. I didn’t do anything else about it at the time, I have enough to contend with in my inbox!

Then after a couple more of those and then an email where someone shared a post with me, and in that email was a link to ‘Learn More About Google+’.

So Where Can You Find Google+?

So, on my notifications was an option to ‘Add to circles’ ….  ‘circles‘?  …  this is when I went back to the email notification to click on the ‘Find out More’ button....

Google+ is also accessible from a user’s Google account pane, or at the top of the Gmail window where your name is, under the ‘View Profile’ selection (if you are in the current trial anyway).

This is a screenshot of where I ended up upon clicking that link, where I found a notice that this is a trial roll out of the new Google social network (red text at the bottom).

Upon visiting my profile and poking around a bit, I was surprised to find that my email was open to anyone on the internet! (not just with whom I had connected).

Now obviously Facebook doesn’t have the best email system for their messaging.

But when I get emails from Facebook for messages I receive there, at least it does not provide my personal email to the world and provides options to turn of email notifications from Facebook.

Google+ Email Privacy

On one of my rounds through the profile, I noticed a ‘Send an Email’ button, and I wondered just how accessible my email actually was here.

It took me a while to find where I could determine who could email me, but it’s worth a look, because you would otherwise have your Gmail accessible from anyone on the web!

When you are in your Gmail, go to the very top right and click the tiny arrow to the right of your name on the top toolbar.

The next window is where your settings for privacy are, but you have to click on what almost does not look like a button (in the image below) that says ‘Edit visibility on profile’ – I missed it a couple of times

When I clicked on this ‘button’, this was the first time I had actually seen my Google+ profile, which was apparently based on my Gmail account settings.

Your Mail Setting can be Adjusted in Your Google+ Profile

When I viewed the profile, I finally noticed the link between the Google+1 button and the Google social network.

Many people know that with Google’s recent search engine algorithm changes, social proof such as Facebook ‘Like’ and Google ‘+1′ votes, along with comments and shares all have an important role in determining your Google Page Rank.

And when I visited my Google+ profile (which appears when you click on the ‘Edit Visibility’ button), I noticed a few selections which include the ‘+1′ selections that you’ve clicked on since it’s inception.

What was not at first readily apparent was how to tell just how open to the public my Gmail address had become. It took a while, but I finally found it in the little round symbol next to the ‘Send an email’ button below my picture.

When you click on the round symbol next to ‘Send an email’, you will have the following selections (notice that under the barely visible ‘Who can see this?’ is the selection ‘Anyone on the Web’ as your default setting!):

Right off, I am not too impressed by the Google social network’s privacy settings! Whew... Now that I’ve fixed that though, I feel better.

So it makes me wonder what of Google Buzz though, you now?

Anyhow, at least I’ve added a few other friends (of course Google+ will prompt you to do so based on your Gmail contacts

Now, do I need another social network ??  Well, maybe not so much but it might not be bad, even maybe better than Faceebook… it remains to be seen!

So will you adding the Google Social Network to your social account activity?