Google Reader

Shortly before Christmas, Google tweaked its Google Reader product so your shared items are automatically shared with your Google Talk contacts. CNET’s News blog pointed out that Google had been spanked for this privacy faux pas, and the company’s official blog has admitted the slip, saying “we underestimated the number of users who were using the Share button to send stories to a limited number of people”. It’s worth checking out Google’s official post on the matter, as it runs you through how to selectively share items with your friends, how to tweak your “friends” list and how to clear your shared items list.