Google Buzz

I have turned off Google Buzz. I should not have had to do this, because I never turned it on in the first place. I turned it off because I don't approve of Google automatically setting me up in a new social networking system, and automatically setting me up to start following people.

I've read Google's statements about how they wanted to make it easy for everyone to get up and running with the Buzz, but it my mind that does not justify what they did. In effect, it's like if Facebook started sending out friend requests on your behalf. Not just suggestions mind you...I could care less if Google suggested people I could follow with Buzz. I would just ignore them. However it automatically started following them, and listing them as someone I follow, and showing everyone that looks at my page that I am following those other people.

Google being what it is, I'm sure that Buzz will eventually have all sorts of features and gadgets that will make life even more wonderful-augmented realityish, and perhaps at some point I will sign up again. I can just picture it, I'm walking downtown and my phone buzzes, telling me that I'm about to walk past a restaurant that my friend went to last week, and that my friend posted a positive review on yelp, and that I'm just in time for happy hour and it knows that I like happy hour based on the fact that it has cross referenced my movement over the last couple weeks with my debit card purchases.... Oh and by the way the friend that was at the restaurant last week was there with my girlfriend, at the same time that she emailed me to say she was working late. Oh Google, you are making my life so much more exciting!

(note: we all know that at least one bit of the above is not possible at present)

I know its naive to think that electronic communications are truly private, but I am offended that Google essentially started broadcasting my email address book. Stay out of my private shit Google.
You are beginning to worry me. I don't know if I can trust you anymore.