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Press Release
EU Settlement With Google Unacceptable Consumer Watchdog Says; Group Calls for Release Of Newest Commitment Document Offered To Competition Commissioner
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041
SANTA MONICA, CA – The settlement to end the European antitrust investigation of Google described today by Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia is unacceptable, Consumer Watchdog said and the group added that Google’s third Commitment document must be made public.
Press Release
Google Leads Pack As 10 Tech Firms Pump $61.15 Million Into 2013 Lobbying Efforts
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041
22. January 2014
SANTA MONICA, CA – Google led in lobbying spending by ten tech firms who pumped a combined $61.15 million into efforts to influence federal regulators and lawmakers in 2013, up 15.9 percent from a combined total of $52.78 million, according to records filed with the Clerk of the House this week.
Press Release
Google’s Social Network Relies On Unfair Practice, Consumer Watchdog Tells FTC; Public Interest Group Also Says New Gmail Link Would Violate ‘Buzz’ Agreement
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041
22. January 2014
SANTA MONICA, CA – Google’s social network, Google+, relies on a flagrant and fundamental privacy design flaw that is an unfair business practice, Consumer Watchdog said today in a formal complaint to the Federal Trade Commission.
Press Release
Google’s Social Network Is Playground For Online Predators, Explicit Sexual Content, Tech Whistleblower Finds; Consumer Watchdog Says Google Must Police Google+
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041
18. December 2013
SANTA MONICA, CA — Google has allowed its social network to become a virtual playground for online predators and explicit sexual content, a seven-month study by a tech industry whistleblower has found, and Consumer Watchdog today called on the Internet giant “to take immediate action to police and clean up your social network, Google+.”
Press Release
Consumer Watchdog Complains To FTC About Deception In Google Shopping Results
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-292-1902
4. December 2013
WASHINGTON, DC – Consumer Watchdog has filed a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission about the deceptive and unfair way Google displays results from its comparison shopping engine, Google Shopping, in its search results, the nonprofit public interest group said today.
Press Release
Consumer Groups On Both Sides Of Atlantic Oppose Google Antitrust Settlement
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041
26. November 2013
SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer groups on both sides of the Atlantic are opposed to a proposed deal to settle the European Commission’s antitrust investigation of Google. Consumer Watchdog, a U.S.-based public interest group, filed comments late Monday night opposing a proposed settlement to the European Commission’s antitrust investigation of Google because the proposed deal “will not restore a competitive search marketplace that will serve the interests of consumers.”
Press Release
Consumer Watchdog Finds Consumers Pay More Because of Google’s Search Monopoly
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041
25. November 2013
SANTA MONICA – Google is taking advantage of its monopoly position in search to charge merchants more for placement in Google Shopping, causing higher prices for consumers, a Consumer Watchdog study has found. The nonpartisan, nonprofit public interest group is filing the study, made Nov. 11 and Nov. 12, with the European Commission as part of the group’s comments on a proposal to settle the Commission’s antitrust investigation of Google.
Press Release
Google Continues To Buy Its Way Out Of Privacy Problems, Consumer Watchdog Says
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041
18. November 2013
SANTA MONICA, CA. – Google’s $17 million settlement with states attorneys general demonstrates the Internet giant’s business strategy of doing whatever it wants and then buying its way out of trouble when caught breaking the rules, Consumer Watchdog said today.
Press Release
Consumer Watchdog Backs Do Not Track Kids Bill; Says All Ages Deserve Protection
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041
14. November 2013
SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog has endorsed the bipartisan, bicameral Do Not Track Kids bill introduced in Congress today, but added that all users of the Internet should be entitled to protection by a Do Not Track law.
Press Release
Google’s European Antitrust Settlement Proposal Insufficient, Consumer Watchdog Says As Group Releases Google’s Latest Offer and Questions From European Commission
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041
6. November 2013
SANTA MONICA, CA – Google’s latest proposal to settle a European antitrust investigation does nothing to solve the underlying problem of how the Internet giant manipulates results and favors its own services in search, Consumer Watchdog said today as it released the proposal and questions the European Commission is asking about it.
Press Release
Consumer Watchdog Challenges Google to Make EU Antitrust Settlement Offer Public; U.S. Public Interest Group Says It Will Release Latest Proposal If Internet Giant Won’t
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041
6. November 2013
SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog has challenged Google to make public its latest proposal to settle the European Commission’s antitrust investigation by 5 p.m. Wednesday, or the public interest group said it would release the proposed deal itself.
Press Release
Google Leads Tech Firms in Lobbying Expenses; Facebook Spending Up 47 Percent
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041
22. October 2013
WASHINGTON, DC — Google continued to lead tech firms in lobbying expenses during the third quarter, spending $3.4 million on its effort to buy influence with federal legislators and policymakers, according to disclosure forms just filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Press Release
23 US Public Interest Groups Back European Union Data Protection Regulation
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , Consumer Watchdog, 310-392-7041; and Jeff Chester, Center For Digital Democracy, 202-986-2220
17. October 2013
WASHINGTON – A coalition of 23 US consumer, privacy and public interest groups today wrote the European Parliament expressing strong support for the proposed European Data Protection Regulation because “we believe that the promotion of stronger privacy standards in Europe will benefit consumers around the globe.”
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Consumer Watchdog’s Carmen Balber discusses Internet privacy and the need for an online “Do Not Track Me” list.
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5. February 2014