Google Buzz Kills Auto-Follow on Privacy Concerns

"Then there's advertising, which relies on data collection. Google wouldn't probably be as succe$sful if they didn't know that web users aren't very web savvy. Plus, when web users get a hint of data collection, they tend to swing to the other side of the pendulum and overstate the issue, ignoring things like anonymized data.

Perhaps Google got a little too comfortable with Internet ignorance. They certainly struck a nerve with the autofollowing and autosharing of Buzz. Still, it's doubtful this will do any serious damage to Google. The psychological relief of getting what you want from a company (in this case, greater perceived privacy) is easier than changing your email and search habits."

source: searchenginewatch