Inside Google

Blog Post

Senators Call for Google Antitrust Probe

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.

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Los Angeles Axes Plans to Add Police Email to Google Cloud

By Staff Writers , GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY

The issues surrounding the Google Apps deal with Los Angeles came to a head in October, when Santa Monica, Calif.-based Consumer Watchdog released on its website a letter from Los Angeles CTO Randi Levin to systems integrator CSC that formally requested that CSC refund to Los Angeles money spent on seat licenses and migration costs associated with moving its law enforcement and criminal justice personnel to Google’s cloud product.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Says Los Angeles Must Demand Removal of Deceptive Video After City Council Kills Plan for Police to Use Google’s Cloud-based Email

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.

Blog Post

Google’s Sad LA Saga Draws To A Close

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.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Warns Chicago Public Schools Of Google’s Los Angeles Failures As Nation’s Third Largest School District Considers Massive New Email System

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.

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Lawmakers, Consumer Advocates Urge Federal Probe of Carrier IQ Mobile Services

By Yu-Ting Wang , COMMUNICATIONS DAILY

Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., Sen. Al Franken D-Minn., and Consumer Watchdog are asking federal regulators to investigate whether mobile software firm Carrier IQ’s practices violate consumer privacy rights. And groups like the Center for Digital Democracy are calling for federal privacy legislation. The company came under fire after reports that its software, installed on many major carriers’ smartphones, collects and transmits potentially sensitive data about device users. Carriers using Carrier IQ claimed they solely use the service to improve and maintain network performance.

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Carrier IQ Defends Itself in Furor Over Smartphone Users’ Privacy

By David Sarno , LOS ANGELES TIMES

Advocacy groups such as Free Press in Washington, D.C., and Consumer Watchdog in Santa Monica called for congressional and regulatory probes into Carrier IQ. And on Friday, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the company. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) sent the company a letter requesting information about its data collection practices.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Asks Justice Department, FCC To Investigate ‘Spyphone Scandal’

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.

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Consumer Watchdog Wants Probe of Carrier IQ, Carriers

By Grant Gross , COMPUTERWORLD

Consumer Watchdog has called for a U.S. government investigation of Carrier IQ, the maker of tracking software for mobile phones, and its users.

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Carrier IQ Faces Lawsuits, Lawmaker Seeks FTC Probe

By Elinor Mills , CNET.COM

The Consumer Watchdog activist group asked the U.S. Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission to investigate the “Spyphone Scandal.” “The probe should extend beyond the software developer, Carrier IQ, and include operating systems developers like Google and Apple as well as carriers and device manufacturers, the nonpartisan, nonprofit public interest group said.

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Carrier IQ: Consumer Watchdog Asks Justice, FCC to Investigate

By Shaylin Clark , WEBPRONEWS.COM

Advocacy group Consumer Watchdog announced this afternoon that it has sent letters to the Justice Department and the FCC calling on them to investigate not only Carrier IQ, but also operating system makers, as well as handset manufacturers and phone carriers for their role in what it has dubbed the “Spyphone scandal.”

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All Eyes On Carrier IQ Following Spyware Allegations

By Richard Adhikari , TECHNEWSWORLD.COM

“If they’re gathering every individual’s keystrokes, that’s a tremendous invasion of privacy, John Simpson, director of the privacy project at Consumer Watchdog, told TechNewsWorld.