One of the nice things about social media is that it allows widespread, rapid sharing of information. This came from a friend who relayed this message from someone named “Kim Komando,” which I have since verified for myself:

Stop Google from using you in ads

Google recently changed its privacy policy and terms of service. The result is that it now has permission to use your name and photo in ads, or Shared Endorsements, as it calls them.

While Google can only use the name and picture you’ve made public, and it only shows Shared Endorsements to your friends, many people still don’t like it.

Fortunately, Google has added a simple opt-out option. Just visit the Shared Endorsements page and sign in at:
https://plus.google.com/settings/endorsements?hl=en
Then scroll to the bottom and make sure the option is NOT checked. Then click the Save button.