How to hide friends and circles in Google+

Now that you have started using Google+, you must have created a number of circles and also belong to an increasing number of circles. And for those who are not familiar with Circles on Google+, here goes. Circles represent the way you can connect and share with people. You can create any number of circles you choose and add people accordingly. So the usual names of circles are Friends, Acquaintances, Family and Following. The logic is that when you want to share something with only a select number of people, you would have already grouped them into circles and therefore choose the circle of friends you want to share with. This way you can avoid the mistake of sharing with the wrong people and avoid trouble. A good example would be sharing something you boss does not need to know and loose you job because of it, we have seen that happen a number of times on Facebook.

On Google+ you would like your privacy and maybe do not want people on the web to see whose circles you belong to and a list of circles that you have people in. This is a privacy option that many users are going to use in order to minimize inofrmation available about their circles and people who belong to their circles and a list of circles that they have been added to by people who they know. You can set your circles to public or private easily. You can also set to public or private circles you are part of. 

So how to adjust your Google plus circles privacy

1. login to Google+

2. Click you name on the right-hand corner for a drop-down menu

3. Click on profile

4. Click the edit profile blue radio button found on the top right hand corner.

5. On the circles grid just below your photo, hover with your mouse.

6. The area turns a light blue, click anywhere within the blue frame

7. Uncheck show people in circles if you do not want people within your circles to be shown as belonging to your circles.

8. There is also a drop-down with a list of your circles. Check each circle you do not want to show. If there are circles that you do not mind being found openly, don't uncheck those.

9. If you do not want Google+ to show a list of circles you belong to uncheck 'Show people who have added you to circles', Click on save.

10. You're done. 

You can always play around with these settings till you get it right. 

An original post by

Sociolatte