Permission marketing is what is driving the success of the internet.  At least that’s what I believe.  For instance, I think that it’s an honor you are reading this post.  I don’t think I have the right to cram things down your throat.  And I believe it literally costs you something to pay attention to what I am writing (or else why do we say pay attention?)

I don’t have a right to any of that, I need to seek your permission (verbally or otherwise) to earn the privilege of talking to you on Meaning to Work.  This is very different from interrupt marketing (think spammers and TV commercials).

Permission marketing is also what has driven social media to its current success.  We give our permission to connect with one another.  If I want to be your friend on Facebook I have to ask you first.  Then you have to agree.  It’s permission both ways.  Even if it’s permission only out of obligation or social pressure.

The further away from direct permission we get, the more we dislike the social marketing.  One of the biggest complaints people have about Facebook is Facebook spam.  And you know where the bulk of that comes from?  The people we friend only out of social obligation.  The people we don’t give “real” permission to.

All of this brings us to Google’s new product Google Buzz.

Google Buzz is Google’s attempt to fight back on the social media front.  They recognize, like most of us, that social media is the future of software (at least the foreseeable future).  The problem is, they appear to have removed permission from the equation.  They automatically link your most emailed gmail contacts into your “buzz”.  This is then shown to the public.  By default.  Which means your mom can see all of your contacts – or as Gizmodo pointed out – your current girlfriend may suddenly see an ex-girlfriend in your circle.

You can edit all of this.  But why should you need to edit it?  Gmail isn’t just a social email platform – many people, myself included, use it for work.  And I want a little more control over how my information is shared between clients and an old drinking buddy from college that I haven’t seen in 10 years!

Now I admit I’m a bit of a fan of privacy.  I think things should be private until I give my permission to make them public.  But Google wants all that information out there.  Why?  Because they make their money on information. If we block permission to our social networks – then Google has less information.  Less information means less money.

Will this doom Google Buzz?  Unlikely.  Google will most likely change the settings.

The bigger issue is that Google seems to be walking away from the idea of permission marketing.  What does that mean for the giant?  What does that mean for us?  The products we use?  Is this the beginning of the end for permission marketing?  Or are we simply going to see permission-centric people moving to newer technologies and platforms?

There are a lot of questions that will be answered in the coming months.  Google has either shot itself in the foot, or changed the way we view permission.  Either way, change is on the horizon.