Inside Google

Consumer Watchdog Seeks To Stop Google’s Driverless Cars On U.S. Highways Without Privacy Protections

John M. Simpson

Group Seeks Amendments to California Legislation

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, Consumer Watchdog said today.

European Regulators Put Google in the Hot Seat on Privacy Changes

Erika Morphy

Stonewalling is Google’s M.O. when it comes to regulatory requests, John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog’s privacy project director, told the E-Commerce Times. “Google did it with the FCC over its inquiry into the StreetView project,” he said. “The FCC fined Google (US)$25,000 because it dragged its feet in responding.”

Consumer Watchdog Counters Google’s FOIA Objections in FCC Wi-Spy Probe

John M. Simpson

Wants Release of Underlying Documents in Commission’s Investigation

SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today countered Google’s objections to the Federal Communications Commission’s release of detailed documents about the Commission’s investigation

Group Welcomes Sen. Grassley’s Probe Of Google’s Use Of NASA Airfield

John M. Simpson

Consumer Watchdog Report Revealed How Google Bases Jet Fleet At Moffett Field

SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog today welcomed an investigation by Sen. Charles Grassley, (R-Iowa) into Google’s use of NASA’s Moffett Federal Airfield in Santa Clara County, California, near Google headquarters.

FTC Preparing to Fine Google Millions for Safari Privacy Breach

David Angotti

John M. Simpson, the director at the Consumer Watchdog Privacy Project, expressed support for the FTC taking strong action against Google.

FTC Appears Ready To Fine Google Millions For iPad, iPhone Privacy Breach

John M. Simpson

Consumer Watchdog Complained To Commission After Hack Was Discovered

SANTA MONICA, CA – The Federal Trade Commission appears ready to fine Google millions of dollars for hacking around privacy settings on iPhones and iPads. Consumer Watchdog filed a complaint in February with the FTC after Stanford Researcher Jonathan Mayer revealed what the Internet giant was doing.

Google Wi-Spy Scandal Heats Up

James R. Hood

Now Consumer Watchdog, a non-profit advocacy group in California, has filed a Freedom of Information Act Request with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking all documents related to the Commission’s investigation of the Google “Wi-Spy” scandal. The FCC recently fined Google $25,000 for willfully obstructing the FCC’s investigation into how Google’s Street View cars gathered “payload data” from private Wi-Fi networks.

Google Street View Controversy Continues to Roil

Jeffrey Burt

A consumer advocacy group wants all the documents connected with the FCC’s investigation, while some European regulators may give the Google program a new look.

Feds Wondered Who Funded Push To Probe Google

Jim McElhatton

An official with Consumer Watchdog, which has been a frequent and sharp critic of Google, said despite the speculation, the organization does not receive funding from the search engine’s competitors — Microsoft, Yahoo or Facebook. “I don’t know why they would have speculated about that,” said John M. Simpson, privacy director for Consumer Watchdog. “They could have just called and asked.”

Consumer Watchdog Files FOIA Request Seeking All Documents In FCC’s Investigation Of Google Wi-Spy Scandal

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today filed a Freedom Of Information Act Request with the Federal Communications Commission seeking all documents related to the Commission’s investigation of the Google Wi-Spy scandal.