privacy issues in plain english

I recently came across this website: pleaserobme.com
Wow, thieves must be having a hay day right now. Is the purpose of this site to really let people know when others leave their houses and feast upon a freebie smorgasbord?

This site links with your twitter account, and whenever you update where you are - every minute of the day - it lets people know on this site. Pairing up with Foursquare (which I know a recent grad of our program uses quite frequently...) you inform people where you are 24/7 it seems. You have let people know that your house is now empty... feel free to pillage away!

In reality, the site it a "dressed up Twitter search page." Anyone can get this information.

I love the purpose of this site - To inform people as to what they are really sharing out on the web. Going back to my previous post about Google Buzz, I am assuming that the majority of people using these services are not thinking twice before plugging in their current locations and deep dark secrets.

.... rumors have it that good old Fbook will be adding location sharing to their plethora of services as well..

oh goody.

buzz this

So you have all heard about Google Buzz, and I figured I may as well write a little bit about this new fan dangled program.

Google Buzz uses the people you email and chat with most often and makes it into a network. You can show pictures to the world, update your status and post links. Sound Familiar?? It essentially takes all the sites you already use (except Facebook) and puts them in one convenient location so you aren't having to visit a million pages one after another.

In a nutshell - It's a new app that makes your Gmail account into one mega social-sphere.

Although, there have already been a couple problems from this Facebook-imposter. Everyone is aware of the numerous privacy issues with Fbook, but Google Buzz takes it to a new level.

1. Buzz picks your network at first and allows people to see what you have posted to other people. What happens when a stray old abusive bf makes it into this group that you don't want to deal with? Sketch.
2. When you log into Buzz on your mobile phone, you give them access to your location info. Sketchy.
3. Check out people's "Buzzes" (Status updates) and under their buzz you will find their exact location of the posting - yes, street name and number, city, and state. SKETCHIER!!!

As of now, 175 million Gmail and Buzz users are spilling their info out for the world to see. Found beside the "Share," "Retweet," and "Digg This" buttons you can now find the "Buzz This" button. Talk about market saturation overload.

But in reality - How many of us have actually gone into our Facebook accounts and changed the privacy settings to prevent this information spillage?

Aside from the fact of nuclear-powered-information-spillage by clueless people, is Buzz a threat to Facebook? Is it just a poor attempt from Google to stay in the social-loop? Or is it the future - where we will all eventually be forced Google ourselves to death as it slowly takes over the internet?