Inside Google

New Times Square ad targets Google for failure to debate privacy

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog has placed a digital advertisement in Times Square calling Internet giant Google “chicken” for its failure to accept the public interest group’s challenge to debate measures to protect consumers’ online privacy. The ad is running during “AdWeek” in New York City, at which Google has a major presence.

Google engineer’s privacy problems should spur Internet giant to answer four key questions about users’ privacy, Consumer Watchdog says

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA — The consumer group that recently launched a popular online animated satire of Google’s privacy problems embodied in an ice cream truck said the revelation that a Google engineer tracked children down shows that private information is never safe if it is in Google’s hands. Consumer Watchdog called on Google to publicly answer some basic questions about how effectively it protects consumers’ privacy.

Consumer Watchdog Invites Google To Participate In Internet Policy Conference

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today invited Google to participate in a conference, “Google, The Internet And The Future,” that the nonpartisan, nonprofit public interest group plans to host in Washington this fall as part of its Inside Google project. The invitation came in a letter to CEO Eric Schmidt and co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. It was prompted by Google’s promotional campaign this week in Washington highlighting its privacy tools and a House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Competition hearing Thursday on competition in digital markets.

Consumer Watchdog To Google CEO: Berlin Comments At Odds With Personal Privacy And Orwellian; Search Ads For Animation Critical Of Google Should Be Seen On Google

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA — New comments by Google CEO Eric Schmidt in Berlin show the top executive of the Internet giant fails “to recognize that the direction Google is currently heading is inexorably at odds with the notion of personal privacy,” Consumer Watchdog said today. Schmidt said, among other things, “We can suggest what you should do next, what you care about. Imagine: we know where you are, we know what you like.”

Consumer Watchdog Takes “Do Not Track Me” Campaign to Times Square With Animated Video Targeting Google CEO’s Lack of Respect For Privacy

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog’s InsideGoogle.com has taken its online privacy campaign to New York’s Times Square, where it has purchased a 540 sq. ft. Jumbotron digital advertisement promoting an animated video satirizing Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s attitude toward consumer privacy.

Google-Verizon broadband proposal undermines Internet, Consumer Watchdog says

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA — Google and Verizon’s new joint broadband proposal pays lip service to the idea of “net neutrality,” but actually would completely undermine the open and free Internet we enjoy, Consumer Watchdog said today.

Consumer Watchdog asks FBI, DEA to explain use of Google Earth

John M. Simpson

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FBI and DEA are now making extensive use of Google Earth, according to federal spending records. Consumer Watchdog is filing Freedom of Information Act requests with the agencies today to determine how the Internet giant’s digital mapping technology is being used for domestic surveillance, including whether it is used for racial profiling or other abuses of civil liberties.

Google betrays Internet principle to fatten bottom line, Consumer Watchdog Says

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA — Google is compromising a long standing principle it claimed to support in an effort to boost profits as it backs away from a key premise of an open Internet — “net neutrality,” Consumer Watchdog said today.

Consumer Watchdog poll finds concern about Google’s Wi-Spy snooping

John M. Simpson

Americans Favor Broad Range Of Online Privacy Protections for Consumers

SANTA MONICA, CA — A significant majority of Americans are troubled by recent revelations that Google’s Street View cars gathered communications from home WiFi networks, and they want stronger legal protection to preserve their online privacy, according to a national opinion poll released today by Consumer Watchdog.

Consumer Watchdog Repeats Request for Google Wi-Spy Hearing In Congressional Testimony About Federal Use of Web 2.0 Technology

John M. Simpson

WASHINGTON, DC — Consumer Advocate John M. Simpson today repeated Consumer Watchdog’s call for Congressional hearings into the Google Wi-Spy scandal during testimony about federal agency use of Web 2.0 technology. The hearing was before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census and National Archives of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.