CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-292-1902; or Carmen Balber, 310-403-0284
Google’s New Arrogant Data Consolidation Policy Underscores Need For Strong Protections
BRUSSELS, Belgium — Landmark online privacy regulations proposed in Europe today that include the concept of a “right to be forgotten” could help provide U.S. consumers with tools necessary to protect their data held by Internet giants like Google, Facebook and Microsoft, if ultimately enacted, Consumer Watchdog said today.
Mon, Jan 23, 2012
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , (310) 292-1902; Jamie Court, (310) 392-0522, ext. 317
BRUSSELS – Consumer Watchdog, a U.S.-based consumer advocacy group, today called for the EU’s antitrust regulators to block Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility and ultimately issue a formal antitrust complaint against the Internet giant’s ongoing business practices.
Mon, Jan 23, 2012
CONTACT: Carmen Balber , (310) 403-0284; or John M. Simpson, (310) 292-1902
WASHINGTON, DC – Internet giant Google spent nearly $10 million lobbying federal policymakers in 2012, showing that the company has abandoned its idealistic “Don’t Be Evil” roots and has bought into Washington’s corrupt “cash and carry” political system, Consumer Watchdog said today.
Fri, Jan 20, 2012
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-0522 x317, or cell: 310-292-1902
WASHINGTON, DC – Consumer Watchdog today called on President Obama to use the State of the Union message to endorse baseline privacy legislation and support Do Not Track regulations that would give consumers control of whether their information is gathered while they use the Internet.
Fri, Jan 13, 2012
Posted by John M. Simpson
Google’s latest change to its search engine, dubbed “Search plus Your World” apparently has drawn the scrutiny of the Federal Trade Commission because of antitrust concerns, according to Bloomberg News.
Mon, Dec 19, 2011
Posted by John M. Simpson
The top Senators on the Judiciary Committee’s Antitrust Subcommittee are expressing concern to the Federal Trade Commission over Google’s business practices and the Internet giant’s impact on competition in Internet search and commerce.
Thu, Dec 15, 2011
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-0522 x317; or Jamie Court, x327
SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today called on Los Angeles officials to demand Google remove a deceptive video featuring Los Angeles City employees from a website marketing the Internet giant’s Google Apps for Government “cloud computing” service.
Tue, Dec 13, 2011
Posted by John M. Simpson
Google’s sad saga of missed deadlines and unfulfilled promises in attempting to provide the City of Los Angeles with a “cloud” based email and collaboration system appears to be drawing to a close.
Tue, Dec 6, 2011
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-292-1902; Jamie Court, 310-392-0522 x327; Carmen Balber, 202-629-3043
SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today warned the Chicago Board of Education to consider Google’s failures in implementing an email system for the City of Los Angeles as the seven members consider a new email and collaboration system for the nation’s third largest school district.
Fri, Dec 2, 2011
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-0522, x317
Probe of Wiretap Violations Should Include Google, Apple As Well As Software Maker
WASHINGTON, DC – Consumer Watchdog today called for a federal investigation into the “Spyphone Scandal”, in which software embedded in smartphones surreptitiously tracks users’ activities, including their keystrokes and numbers they dialed.
Wed, Nov 23, 2011
Posted by John M. Simpson
The Prestigious CQ Researcher has recently tackled the issue of Google’s dominance, asking the question: “Is the online-search giant too powerful?” See below for information about how you can read the entire online version of this important study. In a half-page opinion piece in the 24-page report, I square off with Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt [...]
Mon, Nov 21, 2011
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-0522 x317
SANTA MONICA CA – Consumer Watchdog today said executives of leading Internet companies Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! should face criminal charges for their roles in allowing mortgage modification ad scammers to advertise on their sites.
Wed, Nov 16, 2011
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-0522, x317
SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today called on Google to donate the tainted revenue it received from deceptive ads preying on vulnerable homeowners to non-profit groups that help consumers with credit problems, including homeowners seeking to avoid foreclosure. The mortgage modification scams were first revealed in a Consumer Watchdog report last February.
Consumer Watchdog’s Carmen Balber discusses Internet privacy and the need for an online “Do Not Track Me” list.
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Wed, Jan 25, 2012