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Consumer Watchdog Welcomes New Senate Privacy Panel, Calls For Wi-Spy and Do Not Track Hearings
WASHINGTON, DC — Consumer Watchdog today welcomed the creation of a new Senate subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, to be chaired by Sen. Al Franken, D-MN, and urged the panel to hold hearings on the Google Wi-Spy scandal. The nonpartisan, nonprofit public interest group also said the new committee should consider Do Not Track Me legislation.
Continue reading...Landmark “Do Not Track Me” Bill To Block Unwanted Spying on the Internet, Says Consumer Watchdog
11. February 2011
WASHINGTON, DC — “Do Not Track Me” legislation introduced in Congress today by Rep. Jackie Speier, D-CA, will let consumers block unwanted tracking of their information online, said the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog at a press conference today with the bill author and consumer and privacy advocates.
Continue reading...New Study Shows How Google Aids Mortgage Rescue Ripoffs Prompting Consumer Watchdog To Call For FTC To Intervene
10. February 2011
WASHINGTON, DC — Google has become a leading purveyor of ads by scammers who prey on struggling homeowners, according to a study released today by Consumer Watchdog, and the nonpartisan, nonprofit public interest group has asked the Federal Trade Commission to stop the Internet giant from hosting the ads.
Continue reading...USA Today/Gallup Poll Shows Need For “Do Not Track” Legislation, Consumer Watchdog Says As Rep. Jackie Speier Is Poised To Introduce Bill In Congress
9. February 2011
WASHINGTON, DC — A new USA Today/Gallup poll that found most Americans are worried about privacy and viruses when using Facebook or Google confirms an earlier poll by Consumer Watchdog and underscores the need for a Do Not Track mechanism to protect consumers online, the nonpartisan, nonprofit group said today.
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog Calls On Google To End Secrecy As Lobbying Hits $5.2 Million
31. January 2011
SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog today called on Google to end the secrecy surrounding its lobbying efforts in Washington after the Internet giant refused to release an 89-page presentation it is showing to policymakers and regulators in the nation’s capital. The call came as the Internet giant’s lobbying spending soared to $5.2 million in 2010 from $4.03 million in 2009.
Continue reading...Connecticut AG’s Wi-Spy Deal With Google Shows Need for Congressional Hearings, Consumer Watchdog Says
28. January 2011
SANTA MONICA, CA — Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen’s deal with Google announced today makes it clear that Congressional hearings will be necessary if the American public is to understand fully what happened in the Wi-Spy scandal, Consumer Watchdog said.
Continue reading...New Consumer Watchdog Animation “Mr. Schmidt Goes to Washington” Goes Street View With Mobile Advertising Van in DC To Call For Google Hearings
26. January 2011
WASHINGTON, DC – Consumer Watchdog’s new animated satire, “Mr. Schmidt Goes to Washington,” debuted today on the streets of Washington, DC, to make the case for why Congress should call Google CEO Eric Schmidt to testify under oath about the Wi-Spy scandal and other online privacy issues. The group also said the company’s close relationship with the US government should be probed.
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog Sends Issa’s Oversight Committee Google Report Showing Inappropriate Relationship With Obama Administration
24. January 2011
SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog today sent Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) a 32-page report detailing how Google has inappropriately, benefited from its close ties to the Obama Administration, including how NASA’s Moffett Airfield, near Google’s world headquarters, has been turned into a taxpayer-subsidized private airport for Google executives used for corporate junkets.
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog Welcomes Larry Page As Google’s CEO
20. January 2011
SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog today welcomed the announcement that Co-Founder Larry Page will become chief executive officer of the Internet giant and expressed optimism that the changes at the top mean Google will return to the values of its founders.
Continue reading...Smartphones Need “Do Not Track Me” Function, Consumer Watchdog Says
20. December 2010
Santa Monica, CA — The Do Not Track Me function proposed in the Federal Trade Commission’s recently released online privacy report must be extended to include smartphones, Consumer Watchdog said today in the wake of a Wall Street Journal article showing how applications for the iPhone and Android phones widely share personal data without the users’ knowledge or consent.
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15. February 2011