They're coming and it will be difficult to get away without having one.
Google Profiles will be integrated in most Google services so you have a coherent identity and a simple way to manage your contacts.
"A Google Profile is simply how you represent yourself on Google products — it lets you tell others a bit more about who you are and what you're all about. You control what goes into your Google Profile, sharing as much (or as little) as you'd like."
Until now, you could create profiles in Blogger, orkut, Google Groups, Google Co-op and all of them could contain different information. You could also add photos in Gmail, Google Talk and orkut, so the situation started to become confusing.
The new Google profiles are already available in
Shared Stuff,
Google Maps,
Google Reader and will be added to other web applications. For example, in Google Maps you'll find the link to your profile at the top of the page.
Profiles are public and contain basic information about yourself: a nickname (the real name is displayed only to your contacts), your occupation, your location, a list of links, a photo and a short description. They are
embedded as iframes in pages that showcase user-generated content (personalized maps, shared bookmarks).
It's not a stretch to see that these profiles are the perfect host for
your activity streams and your public activities could become a part of the profile (uploading photos to a public album, bookmarking web pages, posting a new blog post). It's basically
FrindFeed's widget that can be contemplated at
Paul Buchheit's blog.
A side-effect of the public availability of your profile is that people can find it. "Can people do a Google search for my name and find this profile? It depends. If you put your full name in the Nickname field, pages on which your profile appears may be returned as results by Google." You can already find
more than 100 profiles attached to Google Maps pages. Maybe Google will even create a directory for profiles and start to suggest friends based on personal descriptions, location and activity streams.
Labels: Google Profiles, Social
said on December 15, 2007 6:04 AM PDT:
They are going to have to make some sort of opt-out option because I certainly don't want people to be able to look at at the trail of data I leave on google through search, mail & maps.
Its not clear at the moment what Joe Public can see on my profile - its all very vague. Very un-google-like
said on December 15, 2007 9:47 AM PDT:
Yes yes, ok, all that is ok, but we already want to see the photo of the writer of the blog we read everyday, not a lake, so c'mon
zkarj said on December 15, 2007 1:57 PM PDT:
This further complicates things for those of us using Google Apps on our own domains.
said on December 15, 2007 11:12 PM PDT:
I use multiple identities depending on the Google service, some professional and some personal. I too hope this is optional, I have no desire to combine everything into one public identity. If this is pushed on me, I'll move my stuff over to other services like Zoho.com. I smell evil and it makes me sad.
Colin said on December 16, 2007 12:07 AM PDT:
Why do people always look for the sinister? I use several different Google products and I use OpenID for another range of products. Should I use a different identity and password for each and every program?
If Google Profiles allows me to "write once use many", then that makes sense to me.
In an era where any phone call you make can be/is listened to by your Government, and Gmail is already read to target ads, Google knowing I also looked at a map isn't really much of a problem.
Tanveer said on December 16, 2007 12:17 AM PDT:
Looks like violation of privacy to me.
How is it a violation of privacy if you personally upload this content on your own? Maybe a violation of public-domain..
said on December 16, 2007 4:33 AM PDT:
I don't like it. Il be moving to zoho.com
said on December 16, 2007 4:59 AM PDT:
I can see how this would simplify things and I trust Google, as a company, but surely the potential for abuse of this profile is enormous.
As long as I have the following rights, I don't see a problem.
1. the right to opt out completely from this profile.
2. the right to make corrections if someone else poses as me.
3. the right to control access to my information.
Dear Google, please think long and hard about this. I like your services and would hate to switch to someone else.
said on December 16, 2007 5:12 AM PDT:
I agree that this further complicates matters for those of us using Google Apps on our own domains. Google needs to embrace Google Apps users, not ignore them and treat them like red-headed step children. (and why do I still not have the latest gmail upgrades for my google apps domain?)
said on December 16, 2007 6:10 AM PDT:
Thats Cool
Would you please review http://www.Tagza.com - Young & funky Bookmarking web site
I only think that you could have used a better picture of yourself. And thats what many in here also seem to want.
BTW, for Matt Cutts,
Dear Matt, if you are listening, Why don't you get Ionut for one of your Google Edu videos? All 50k+ visitors of this blog can for once see what they have been for long assuming.
said on December 16, 2007 6:24 AM PDT:
Not a bad idea. Besides, it will help your online credibility to have a Google profile, in addition to gaining more trust from your search engine users..:-)
Shawn
http://www.Drewryonline.net
said on December 16, 2007 6:26 AM PDT:
I think also that without a Google profile, people in the future will also ignore your business. So, it pays to have 1. People wanna match a face to who they are consuming from online! :-)
www.Drewryonline.net
I am curious to see how they integrate more heavily with gmail and to see how, once completed, google will rank in terms of the largest social networks. A quick wikipedia search reveals gmail has "tens of millions" of users and facebook is expected to have "60 million by the end of 2007". Once completed could they be one of the largest social networks on the web?
This seems like the kind of thing that could preclude open data standards, but I hope that's not the case. I need to be able to export all this aggregated data about my activities in a standards based format and be able to expose it selectively to advertisers and customization services. It's probably not in Google's financial interests to allow that to happen in the short term, but in the long term if everyone else did it and Google did not then I would reject Google as creepy and go with the standards based universe of services. Maybe Google will go along with data standards so they aren't rejected as creepy.
said on December 16, 2007 12:29 PM PDT:
I have to say that if Google at some point try to 'force' me into the social networking arena I will stop using their products. I didn't sign up for a 'myspace' or 'facebook' service when created my Gmail account. If the profiles and public data isn't optional and will be there whether I like it or not I will stop using Google, which is too bad because I like Gmail and Reader better than the competition so far.
said on December 16, 2007 1:27 PM PDT:
I think it's a horrible idea and I will not be sharing my personal data with Google. Google should allow anonymity of its users, and allow them to float around without trying to become a huge surveillance network. No one wants this and Google will eventually see that this sort of policy is bad for business, until then I will not be using Google services to store any of my information, files, and so on.
Chris said on December 16, 2007 2:15 PM PDT:
@Marshall Kirkpatrick Well said! Totally agree
said on December 16, 2007 2:17 PM PDT:
WOW you mean google will finally allow me to tell millions of strangers what my occupation and hobbies are? I've always wanted to share with perfect strangers all aspects of my life. Where do I sign?
said on December 16, 2007 6:31 PM PDT:
this is unfortunate. i was really hoping google would adopt openid and make it easy for us all to once and for all integrate customer records across all the different apps we need to support processes to do work with people.
Build a system and platform to receive documents and digitize.
The idea I have is for Google to be the first have a service that works similar to a county recorders office. This service could help... Authors of online content... digitize the content (article, blog syndications, and such) This will eliminate much of the copy right issues in online publishing...
Everyone has or will soon have a real estate on the web (If they own a domain) and it needs a parcel ID and anything associated with the estate... like Title deeds, mortgages, or other relevant documents... are recorded with the county recorders office... anyone can retrieve a document for a fee... for specific dealings with the real estate... based on the recorders assigned numbering sequence with a shortened url...
So in the same approach... Everyday people that work as independent publisher write articles and over time they can loose the domain or web server errors and technical failures....etc.. and basically for a researcher on the web... dealing with that particular Independent online publishing company looses opportunity to evaluate work that may have been lost.
GoogleRecords
iGoogleRecords
Of course someone can say that Domain records exists already with ICAAN... but that is one of many aspects of transactions that transpire on the website as relate to online publishing. As a unique service that could help an independent publisher, a researcher, writers... and others... easier access to more than see the eye about websites.
Often times someone is researching a link and the url turns out to be bad or a bad link request...
Of course this is a rough idea and can be refined.
Pittfall said on December 16, 2007 8:56 PM PDT:
Aside from the "big brother" aspect of this new change, I like the idea that all of my personalities are brought together and recognized by Google. It adds relevancy and authority among other things...
said on December 17, 2007 12:42 AM PDT:
Its not a bad idea. But, I think users should be given a choice to opt out of it. I mean, privacy is matter you know.
Especially these days when Google gets to get anything and everything about us. I think Google should rethink their privacy strategy.
Being social online is fun but not entirely safe.
said on December 17, 2007 4:27 AM PDT:
It smells of "Microsoft think". Hey, we have all these great tools, lets link them together into a unified system. It will make the products more consistent and easier to use (familiar). More people will choose our products because of it.
Google isn't likely to use the feature to anyone's detriment, but there are plenty of people out there who will find ways of exploiting the system.
Example; gmail spam expodes because a sufficient amount of unique info is available about you to generate user specific spam.
A said on December 17, 2007 3:59 PM PDT:
I would like to create my profile right away!
factoryjoe said on December 17, 2007 10:46 PM PDT:
I would love to see support for XFN and hcard on these profiles. Given the work on OpenSocial, it seems like an obvious thing to do at this point..! ;)
droger613 said on December 18, 2007 7:46 AM PDT:
The most important google service to combine with Google Profiles Must be Orkut. If Google Profile can integrat with Orkut, Google Maps, Gmail, Calendar, that's will be wonderful. But Orkut's Interface still not good for use, still not better than facebook
oolaoop said on December 18, 2007 1:08 PM PDT:
Google profiles... OpenID, un savoir qui ne conçoit pas la contradiction avec knol, un tracking des sites visiter avec l'historique de navigation...
Cette omnipotence de Google liée à un commencement de flicage m'inquiète un peu.
said on December 20, 2007 5:53 AM PDT:
I love how they have to give examples for what we should enter for our occupation and location.
Remember that most of the folks using these services don't seem to think too deeply about their online presence. (Okay, they
should, but they don't.)
And they'll make up occupations and locations, too. You just know that there will be any number of Google Profiles for people 'located' in "Narnia," "the Milky Way," "Over the Rainbow," and so on. You could do it, too.
said on December 20, 2007 2:06 PM PDT:
You should make it possible to upload a photo we would want to use as our profile picture in MY PHOTOS without using one from the albums content
@Nelson:
You can choose a photo from:
a) your computer (the default location)
b) Picasa Web Albums
c) a web address
said on December 23, 2007 10:59 AM PDT:
hi,there is allot to write but one thing which i like to state[your shawdow should be your idle]
christine said on December 24, 2007 10:26 AM PDT:
hi i am new but i woould like to say that since the war has started i have hated it i wold like to know everyones oppinion about the war.
Google Notebook is now included. They forced me to federate about a week ago..
skywalker said on April 22, 2008 11:36 AM PDT:
its the most smartest stunt that google wud do..the google profiles..that way u cn search ppl easily and their deatils..but arent u afraid that somebody else will use the idea before u do??
how can i make a google profile
You can edit the profile in Google services that are integrated with the unified profiles: Google Maps (there's a link to "My Profile") and Google Reader (click on "Manage friends").
Shiva said on July 17, 2008 6:20 AM PDT:
"Thought of the day"
"Pay more for the ability to deal with people than for any other ability under the sun.
Honestly, It's neat but I'd be concerned for the privacy issues. If I could specify what's seen and gathered by it then it's totally amazing. If not. I want to opt out.
fedmich said on October 29, 2008 9:32 AM PDT:
First streetview, and then maybe they are gonna make a faceview using these profiles.
Personally, I dont mind using it but it really is possible for someone to abuse this feature. so they must be very careful with these
thank you
all of you are great,
i am so glad we have you looking out for all of us!
blessings to you!
said on January 3, 2009 9:29 AM PDT:
Bug Report:
Changes to a Google Profile photo do not last. For whatever reason, the updated photo will display for a few hours (days?), but the old -- original -- profile photo always replaces it.
I find myself having to update my profile photo almost daily; it's intensely frustrating. Please report this bug.
The edit profile link does not work, it always leads to a 500 server error on my browser (firefox3).
Why i can not find let's say my own profile? How come taht Google does not privide a service like e-mail search?
As Andy said a month ago, changes to the photo get overwritten with the original photo after a few hours
GOOGLE, PLEASE FIX THIS BUG !!!
zoue said on February 26, 2009 3:46 AM PDT:
I hope google will fix those problems.
Patrick said on March 9, 2009 8:47 PM PDT:
Google Profile Photo bug. I can't change my Google Profile photo. It keeps reverting to the previous photo. This problem, error, bug has been around on Google Profiles for a while. Is there a solution or trick to get past the bug?
Patrick you are correct, I too have the same problem though out the Google products. I think the google address book is no longer in sync with the google talk photo.
said on March 29, 2009 4:40 AM PDT:
I can change it whenever I want.
Jameson said on March 31, 2009 1:21 PM PDT:
I keep having the same problem as above, where I can't change my profile photo. I upload a new one, and it stays there for a little while, but then it changes back to the previous one.
I've been very frustrated by this for a month now, so any help would be appreciated.
symtym said on April 4, 2009 12:35 PM PDT:
Tried dozens of times over 3-4 months to change the Profile photo. Can change it, but the change never lasts from more than several hours. I have deleted Google Profile information, Gears, Picasa, GTalk, etc. in attempt to see if it was a local cache problem or image source on the web. Used different computers with the same results. Have used Mac OS 10.5.6 with Safari 3.x, and 4.x, and Firefox 3.x; have used WinXP with Google Chrome, Firefox, and IE 7 (and now 8) -- all with the results. I'm left with this being a problem with Google.
said on April 22, 2009 2:31 AM PDT:
I have the same Google Profile photo bug. It keeps reverting to the old photo...
Now if the good people at Google could acknowledge this bug?
Am I the only one that thinks that this is NOT a good idea? Does George Orwell's "1984" ring a bell? WAKE UP PEOPLE, STOP BEING BLIND, THIS IS BIG BROTHER IN FULL EFFECT.
said on April 24, 2009 11:40 PM PDT:
There's no need to opt out you dorks, the service is completely optional. If you don't want a profile, don't create one!
said on April 28, 2009 8:02 AM PDT:
you cant abuse public domain. by its nature it is public
Dag said on May 6, 2009 3:24 PM PDT:
I believe this is a good thing. Everyone these days google their friends name, coworkers, etc. This way, you can take ownership over the information that they get. If you are the best provider of content, then you are also the owner. This service will prevent many people from digging further into your internet trail, because they can get basic information from you on the first link, and therefore avoid looking further down and finding something you'd rather not share.
The internet is an open place, and everyone can read what you say and do already, so why not? Maybe it will keep your future employer from looking at those vacation photos where you had a bit much to drink that was accidentally published by a "friend".
Is this even released or still in beta?. Due to some reason profiles are blocked but when clicking on ask for consideration it is erroring out as 500 Internal Server Error!!
El recio said on May 15, 2009 3:31 AM PDT:
Will be there any google analytics added to my profile page? It will be interesting to see who's searching for you.
I think also that without a Google profile, people in the future will also ignore your business.Why i can not find let's say my own profile
That's great, we need it, we want it, but yasni is the best.
I only think that you could have used a better picture of yourself. And thats what many in here also seem to want.
BTW, for Matt Cutts,
Dear Matt, if you are listening, Why don't you get Ionut for one of your Google Edu videos? All 50k+ visitors of this blog can for once see what they have been for long assuming.
I just wrote about creating a Google Profile on my blog, http://www.foxleymarketingsolutions.com/457/create-a-google-profile/ and I think it is an awesome way of sharing the information you want people to find about yourself and your company.
Thanks for sharing,
Karl
