Google Buzz is a social integration and messaging tool by Google, designed to integrate into the company's web-based email program, Gmail. Shared links and messages show up in the user's inbox. Buzz focuses on integrating photos, videos, and links as part of the "conversations" aspects of Gmail like conversation threading.

Buzz allows users to choose to share publicly with the world or privately to a small group of friends each time they post. Picasa, Flickr, Google Reader, YouTube, Blogger, and Twitter are currently integrated. The creation of Buzz was seen by industry analysts as an attempt by Google to compete with social networking websites like Facebook.[1] Buzz also includes several interface and interaction elements from other Google products (e.g. Google Reader) such as the ability to like a post.

Google Is Neglecting Online Privacy, Authorities Say - BusinessWeek

Global

Google Is Neglecting Online Privacy, Authorities Say BusinessWeek April 20 (Bloomberg) -- Google Inc. received a letter from data-protection authorities of 10 countries demanding the company improve privacy for its users, citing concerns about its Google Buzz and Street View services. ... Google rapped over privacy issues by 10 nationsBBC News Gov't regulators slam Google's privacy effortsNetworkWorld.com Google Privacy Failings Criticized by TenFOXNews InformationWeek -CNET -Ars Technica all 14 news articles »

Read more [Google News - Sci/Tech]