Inside Google

Press Release

Google, Facebook Continue Pumping Money Into Lobbying Efforts Setting New Records

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041

SANTA MONICA, CA — Google and Facebook continued to pump money into their Washington lobbying efforts in the third quarter with the Internet giant spending its second most amount in one quarter while the social networking company spent its most ever for one quarter.
“Google and Facebook would have you believe that they are different from other corporations,” said John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project director. “They are not. They are following the corrupt corporate tradition in Washington: buying what you want.”

Press Release

Google, Oracle Of Transparency, Gets Caught By Transparency; Consumer Watchdog Says Earnings Report Glitch Should Be Wake Up Call For Online Privacy

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041

SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog urged the founders of Google to take today’s early leak of financial information — which caused Google to ask to suspend trading in its stock — as a wake up call for the billionaire executives and prompt them to support giving Google users the right to suspend trading in their own private information.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Praises EU Data Commissioners For Rebuking Google For Merged Privacy Policy

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041; or cell: 310-292-1902

Calls on Federal Trade Commission To Protect U.S. Consumers

SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today praised the European data commissioners for rebuking Google’s unilateral merging of privacy policies and data across its various product lines and called on the Federal Trade Commission to act to protect U.S. consumers.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Urges ICANN To Reject Google, Amazon Applications To Buy Generic Internet Domains

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041; cell: 310-292-1902

Says Control of New Strings Could Threaten Free Internet SANTA MONICA, CA  – Consumer Watchdog has called on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to reject applications from Google and Amazon to buy control of huge swaths of the Internet by purchasing new generic Top Level Domains. In an open letter to [...]

Press Release

Google’s Driverless Car Law Poses Threat to Californians’ Safety and Privacy

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041

SANTA MONICA, CA – The driverless car law signed today by Gov. Jerry Brown at a ceremony at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View poses threats to Californians’ safety and privacy, Consumer Watchdog said.

Press Release

FTC $22.5 Million Settlement With Google Is Deficient For Three Reasons Including Failure To Include Permanent Injunction, Consumer Watchdog Tells Court

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041 or cell: 310-292-1902

SAN FRANCISCO – The Federal Trade Commission’s proposed $22.5 million settlement with Google for hacking past privacy settings on Apple’s Safari browser fails to include a permanent injunction against violating its “Buzz” Consent Decree with the Commission, one of three reasons it be should be rejected, Consumer Watchdog said today.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Calls On Sen. Rockefeller To Thwart Google and Amazon Plans To Buy Generic Internet Domains

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041; or cell: 310-292-1902

Control of New Strings Could Threaten Free Internet

WASHINGTON, DC – Consumer Watchdog today urged Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D –W.VA) to block attempts by Google and Amazon to buy control of huge swaths of the Internet by purchasing new generic Top Level Domains through the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Urges Gov. Brown To Veto Google’s Driverless Car Bill

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-292-1902 (cell)

Public Interest Group Terms Privacy Protections For New Technology Insufficient

SANTA MONICA, CA – California Gov. Jerry Brown should veto a bill that allows Google’s driverless cars on the highway because it does not provide adequate privacy protections for users of the new technology, Consumer Watchdog said today.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Wins Right To Oppose $22.5 Million Google Settlement With FTC

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041; or Carmen, 202-629-3043 (D.C. office)

SAN FRANCISCO – A U.S. District Court Judge has granted Consumer Watchdog the right to oppose Google’s record $22.5 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission because it allows the Internet giant to deny any wrongdoing.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Asks FCC to Require Cell Phone Companies to Disclose Data Speeds; Group Cites Widespread Misleading ‘4G’ Claims

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041

WASHINGTON D.C. — Citing deceptive and confusing advertising by mobile phone companies concerning data speeds, Consumer Watchdog today petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to require wireless carriers to disclose actual network data speeds.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Asks Judge for Permission to Oppose FTC Settlement With Google

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041

Cites Need For Google to Accept Responsibility For Wrongdoing

SAN FRANCISCO – Consumer Watchdog has filed a motion in U.S. District Court asking that it be allowed to oppose the $22.5 million settlement the Federal Trade Commission has reached with Google because the agreement allows the Internet giant to deny any wrongdoing.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Urges Regulators To Block Google’s Purchase of Frommer’s Travel Guides

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041

SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today called on federal antitrust regulators to block Google’s purchase of Frommer’s travel guides. “There is a fundamental conflict between being a search provider and a content provider,” said John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project Director. “As Google has increased its content and services, it has unfairly favored them in its search results and damaged competitors.”

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Calls On California Legislature To Require Consumer Privacy Protections On Google’s Driverless Cars; Group Terms Earlier Amendment Inadequate

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041

SANTA MONICA, CA — Google’s driverless cars should not be allowed on U.S. highways unless adequate privacy protections for users of the new technology are implemented and an amended bill in the California Legislature fails to deliver the necessary safeguards, Consumer Watchdog said today.