Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Blogs Google Watch
    • Blogs
    • Google Watch
    • Search Engines

    Google Reader Now More Social Even for the Antisocial

    By
    Clint Boulton
    -
    July 16, 2009
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      On July 15 the Google Reader team launched a “like” feature (along with other changes) that lets users click on a button to give the thumbs-up for any item in Reader.

      These “likes” are public, so anyone reading an item you’ve “liked” in Reader can see that you’re a fan based on your Google profile.

      So, when I clicked the like button at the bottom of a story in Reader, it told others I was a fan. Google Reader folks make the case that, “Checking out shared items for people who have ‘liked’ the same items as you is a great way to discover other people with interests similar to your own.”

      likes.png

      I quickly found that I don’t know these people and therefore don’t care that they liked the same articles I liked. Maybe it’s because I use Google Reader expressly for work to find story ideas and see what colleagues and rivals are working on.

      I don’t need to “like” what they’re reading and writing. If it’s in my coverage bailiwick, chances are good I’m going to cover it, or at the least read it. I don’t need to see that strangers like it. Some journalists are fans of the new feature; others, not so much.

      Maybe I just have a hard time with Reader being socialized when it’s a fine work tool for me. I’ve already made peace with seeing “likes” at the tops of stories; I choose not to click on them. It’s a time-waster for me. I’m going to read what I’m going to read without outside influence. Fortunately, the other changes are more unobtrusive.

      Google Reader also lets users find and follow other people with public shared items and subscribe to their shared items with one click, a departure from when Reader let you share your items with others in the hope that they would do the same.

      Now there’s a people search feature, powered by Google profiles, of course, which lets you look for people who have public shared items. Browse peeps by name, location or topic, and follow them from inside Reader.

      peoplesearch.png

      Jesus, am I in Facebook or FriendFeed? Feels like it. Thank God I can control what gets shared at least. Clicking on “sharing settings” in Reader lets me choose with whom I share Reader items, right down to coworkers, family, friends and chat contacts from Gmail.

      This granularity is refreshing, and I expect nothing less from Google, for which these are uncharted social waters. Only people I add to my sharing groups will be able to see and comment on my shared items.

      I can also add a link to my shared items to my Google profile by checking the box marked “Add a link to my Google profile,” and give my Reader shared items page a custom URL that uses my Google user name. Thanks, but I’ll pass.

      Finally, the ability to see and add comments to shared items is still restricted to people I have in a sharing group. Good to know. These features are English-only for now, and the Reader team will add support for other languages later.

      Ultimately, I think these changes are absolutely great for users (certainly most in the blogosphere) who wanted Google to socialize Reader. When I want to play, I go to Facebook or Twitter.

      Reader is too much a part of my workflow to open myself to the comforts of sharing everything with others. It’s a good thing I can choose what I contribute here, which will be little to nothing.

      Clint Boulton
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×