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Topic: Apps

How to get rid of the Google+ Gchat zombies from HELL

Summary: Are you getting annoying chats coming out of the blue from your Google+ contacts? Here's how to fix it.

Jason Perlow

By for Tech Broiler |

So, if you've been using Google+ a lot, you've probably been adding quite a few people to your Circles.

In my case, I've been adding several hundred people to Circles which I have defined by relative closeness to me ("Family","Friends","ZDNet","Computer Industry","Food Industry") and the general "WHO?" bucket of folks that add me but I don't know who they are, but I keep track of them anyway.

Unfortunately, once you add people to your Circles, not only do they show up as chattable in your Google Chat-capable clients such as one the one integrated into Google+ and Gmail, but they also show up in 3rd-party clients such as Adium and Pidgin.

As if that wasn't annoying enough, YOU also show up in THEIR chat clients, and they might just decide to instant message you out of the blue. Not cool, right?

Well as it turns out, you can fix this annoying default setting. First, you want to go to the Chat menu in Google+ and select Circles.

Next, you'll get a dialog box asking you which Circles you want to be able to chat with. Notice here I've picked Friends, Family, and my ZDNet colleagues.

And that's it. No more Google+ Chat Zombies from HELL!

Topics: Apps, Google, Social Enterprise

About

Jason Perlow, Sr. Technology Editor at ZDNet, is a technologist with over two decades of experience integrating large heterogeneous multi-vendor computing environments in Fortune 500 companies. Jason is currently a Technology Solution Professional with Microsoft Corp. His expressed views do not necessarily represent those of his employer.

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15 comments
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  • surprizing how mature google plus is

    I'm reading the posts about google plus since a week, and I'm amazed how mature the product seems to be in an early stage. I just want to be invited to have access to it :S
    kumashiro
    Reply Vote

    • It is easy to make a mature product when someone else shows you how ...

      @kumashiro to make it.

      G+ is a copycat product. Nothing new. So it is to be expected that it looks mature when they are not creating a new product, but just copying from others.
      wackoae
      Reply Vote

    • RE: How to get rid of the Google Gchat zombies from HELL

      @kumashiro
      I don't there's much in Google+ that can't be added to Facebook within weeks. I got my invite and am giving it a try (as I did with Buzz and Wave), and I'm similarly unimpressed. A few good ideas certainly, but if anything it is helping me rethink how I use Facebook groups rather convincing me to switch.
      A.Sinic
      Reply Vote

  • RE: How to get rid of the Google Gchat zombies from HELL

    I must be in the NON-CHAT list, cause I don't see my name there.
    khess
    Reply Vote

  • RE: How to get rid of the Google Gchat zombies from HELL

    Great feature, it came up as I was initially setting up my G+ account, like you, I thinned the herd immediately. Uninvited chat should be against the law... maybe "Textual Harassment"
    kdouga
    Reply Vote

  • RE: How to get rid of the Google Gchat zombies from HELL

    Now if only they'll reverse their decision to make all profiles public.
    CobraA1
    Reply Vote

  • RE: How to get rid of the Google Gchat zombies from HELL

    Facebook has one up on them on this.
    The one and only, Cylon Centurion
    Reply Vote

    • It is called, the "auto-Like" click and bait scams.

      @Cylon Centurion You click on a link you thing is from your friends, that auto-likes their site and you have no way to "unlike" them.
      wackoae
      Reply Vote

      • RE: How to get rid of the Google Gchat zombies from HELL

        @wackoae

        I don't click on links. But I was talking about chat. With Facebook ALL chat options are available when clicking down on the chat box. Another quick click and you can "hide" yourself from a group of friends, while remaining open to others.
        The one and only, Cylon Centurion
        Reply Vote

  • RE: How to get rid of the Google Gchat zombies from HELL

    Thanks for the brief tutorial. Now, which circle am I in? LOL!
    loooney2ns
    Reply Vote

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