How a Simple Hack Can Turn Numeric Google Profile URL Back to a Gmail Address

You can use it to find Eric Schmidt's email:

http://picasaweb.google.com/109938146389129062343

I doubt it's his real one though

If I understand this properly, it means that if you want to use Google Buzz, your Gmail address becomes public and you can't hide it.

Whereas on twitter, people can't find out your e-mail address. That's quite important because the whole point of twitter is to offer this semi-public presence without being bombarded by email spam.

The use of numeric URL in Picasa has been blocked by google now. In either case, if you had your gmail address as an URL in Picasa you have been exposed to email harvesters all along, that's why there is an option to create any alias you like for Picasaweb.

Over the years, I've experienced that Google's products/services are full of such security and privacy lapses. They have at times taken some serious and appreciated steps to promote security and privacy. But they do not appear to have a coherent and comprehensive policy or strategy for addressing such topics as a part of ongoing development and operations. Stuff goes into production (I don't care whether you call it beta) that has not been adequately vetted.

Rapid development and iteration have some nice benefits, but they are NOT excuses for oversights in security and privacy.