Archive | October, 2010
Press Release
Consumer Watchdog praises state Attorneys General for continuing Wi-Spy probe
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041, or cell: 310-292-1902
SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog today praised a coalition of state attorneys general led by Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal for continuing an investigation into Google’s Wi-Spying scandal in the wake of the Federal Trade Commission halting its probe earlier this week.
News Clipping
Privacy Advocates Blast FTC’s Inaction Over Street View Spying
By Sidney Hill , E-COMMERCE TIMES
28. October 2010
“The White House deputy chief technology officer, Andrew McLaughlin, was formerly Google’s head of government affairs, and [Google CEO] Eric Schmidt was on a panel of economic advisors for President Obama’s transition team,” John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Inside Google project, told the E-Commerce Times. “If you asked me if I was surprised that that type of clout and influence could pay off for Google in this case, I would say ‘no,’” Simpson continued. “Do I have proof that it did? Again, I would have to say ‘no.’”
News Clipping
Critics Call For Congressional Hearings On Google’s Wi-Fi Data Harvesting
By Byron Acohido , USA TODAY
28. October 2010
Leading the call for Congressional oversight is John M. Simpson, managing director of the non-profit advocacy group Consumer Watchdog. Simpson calls this two-page letter the FTC sent to Google on Wednesday “premature and wrong. “
News Clipping
FTC Closes Google Privacy Inquiry
By Mike Swift , SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS
27. October 2010
Saying they are satisfied with privacy reforms Google announced last week, U.S. regulators have closed their inquiry into Google’s collection of data from unsecured private Wi-Fi networks through its Street View cars, a decision that was blasted Wednesday by online privacy advocates.
News Clipping
US Regulators Scold Google for Taking E-mails
By Michael Liedtke , ASSOCIATED PRESS
27. October 2010
NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission is scolding Google Inc. without punishing the Internet search leader for collecting e-mails, passwords and other personal information transmitted over unsecured wireless networks. Consumer Watchdog, a group that has been among the most strident critics of Google’s so-called “Wi-Spy” incident, called FTC’s resolution “premature and wrong.” It also suggested that Google’s lobbyists may have swayed the outcome of the inquiry. The company has spent $3.9 million on lobbying activities so far this year and has met with the FTC on variety of topics, according to company disclosures.
Blog Post
The monopoly question just won’t go away
Posted by Glenn Simpson
27. October 2010
Google’s efforts to expand its search advertising business into the online travel sector now faces the combined opposition of its competitors. The campaign against Google is another reminder that policy decisions in Washington are crucial to the company’s efforts to expand beyond its search advertising business which still provides 97 percent of its revenue.
Press Release
FTC wrong to end Wi-Spy probe — public entitled to full account of abuses
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041; or cell: 310-292-1902
27. October 2010
SANTA MONICA, CA — The Federal Trade Commission’s two-page letter ending its probe of the Google Wi-Spy scandal is premature and wrong, Consumer Watchdog said today, and leaves the American public with no official full account of the Internet giant’s repeated invasions of consumer privacy.
News Clipping
A Reassured F.T.C. Ends Google Street View Inquiry
By Claire Cain Miller , THE NEW YORK TIMES
27. October 2010
Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group, called the F.T.C.’s decision “premature and wrong. Once again, Google, with its myriad of government connections, gets a free pass,” John M. Simpson, director of the group’s Inside Google Project, said in a statement.
Blog Post
Google CEO’s creepy advice: ‘Just move’
Posted by John M. Simpson
25. October 2010
Maybe Google CEO Eric Schmidt thought he was making a joke, but you’d think by now — if he is at all serious about respecting consumers’ privacy — the billionaire executive would understand that privacy is not a laughing matter.
Blog Post
Add a 4th category of lie: Googlespeak
Posted by John M. Simpson
25. October 2010
You’ve probably heard the description of ways to mislead people that was attributed to British Prime Minister Benjamin Disreali and popularized in this country by Mark Twain: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.” Now we can add a fourth: Googlespeak.
News Clipping
Google Could Get Massive UK Privacy Fine Over WiSpy
By Peter Judge , EWEEK EUROPE
25. October 2010
In the US, Consumer Watchdog advocate John Simpson said it is difficult to trust Google because it keeps changing its story. “First they said they didn’t gather data; then they said they did, but it was only fragments; and today they finally admit entire e-mails and URLs were captured, as well as passwords,” said Simpson. “Maybe some Google executives are beginning to get it: Privacy matters. The reality, though, is that the company’s entire culture needs to change.”
Blog Post
British privacy watchdog gets tougher in Wi-Spy scandal
Posted by Glenn Simpson
25. October 2010
The United Kingdom privacy watchdog has finally joined eighteen other nations in investigating Google for its Wi-Spying, the Internet giant’s clandestine acquisition of personal user information from wireless networks while taking photographs for its Street View mapping service.
News Clipping
‘We Failed Badly,’ Google Executive Admits
By Hugh Collins , AOL.COM NEWS
23. October 2010
Consumer Watchdog, a non-profit group that monitors Google’s privacy work, reacted with skepticism. “Maybe some Google executives are beginning to get it: privacy matters. The reality, though, is that the company’s entire culture needs to change, ” John Simpson, director of the group’s Inside Google Project, said in a statement.
Video Player
Consumer Watchdog’s Carmen Balber discusses Internet privacy and the need for an online “Do Not Track Me” list.
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29. October 2010
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