Archive | Author: Michael Liedtke

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The FTC’s proposed fine was applauded by Consumer Watchdog, a frequent critic of Google’s privacy practices. The penalty “sends a strong message about the seriousness of Google’s wanton and egregious privacy violation,” said John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s privacy project.

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Consumer Watchdog demonstrator Don McLeod protests in front of a Google shareholder outside of Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., Thursday, June 21, 2012 before the shareholders meeting. Protestors demonstrated to help raise awareness of Google’s online tracking policy. They are calling for legislation for “Do Not Track” mechanism urged by the FTC. They are protesting information from being gathered by Google without permission.

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Consumer Watchdog, a group that published a study about mortgage ad scams nine months ago, is calling for criminal charges and financial penalties against the major search engines in the current investigation. “These Internet company executives were active enablers of fraud against vulnerable homeowners,” said John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s privacy project. “They cannot be allowed to benefit from these ill-gotten gains.”

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“Google has built a monopoly in search, and having a monopoly isn’t necessarily illegal,” said John Simpson, a frequent Google critic who has been following the company’s business practices for the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog. “The question is once you are in a monopoly position, how do you use it? I think Google has repeatedly abused it, and that come out in this decision.”

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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.

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Consumer Watchdog, a group that has become one of Google’s most outspoken critics, renewed its call for a regulatory crackdown Friday. “Once again, Google has demonstrated a lack of concern for privacy,” said Consumer Watchdog’s John Simpson. “Its computer engineers run amok, push the envelope and gather whatever data they can until their fingers are caught in the cookie jar.”

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Consumer Watchdog, a group that has become one of Google’s most outspoken critics, renewed its call for a regulatory crackdown Friday. “Once again, Google has demonstrated a lack of concern for privacy,” said Consumer Watchdog’s John Simpson. “Its computer engineers run amok, push the envelope and gather whatever data they can until their fingers are caught in the cookie jar.”

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Google seems to want Judge Chin to be the man making the decision, said John
Simpson of Consumer Watchdog, one of the opponents scheduled to speak
in court next week. "Google has decided it’s longer willing to negotiate with Justice on
this one," Simpson said. "They want to negotiate with the judge
instead."

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