Google turns off GMail data feed to sites like Facebook

[DorsetBoy]

Google gets the hump with facebook

(From BBC News)

GMail contacts will no longer be automatically handed over to other websites and services, says Google.

The search firm will now only share user information if the site wanting access provides reciprocal data feeds to others.

The policy switch was primarily aimed at Facebook, said Google, complaining that the social network left users in a "data dead end".

Google said the policy switch would be implemented over the next few weeks.

Like many other web firms, Google lets others get at the data it holds on users of its many services via what is known as an Application Programming Interface (API).

Before the policy switch sites such as Facebook used Google's API to let their users automatically import GMail contacts so they could rapidly fill out their profile and find others that use the service.

Now Google will only give automatic access to GMail contacts to those sites and services that let others mine the data they hold. .....(more)

[Rik]

Why am I not surprised?