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New Revelations of Google, Apple Smartphone Data Snooping Show Need For Do Not Track Me Legislation, Consumer Watchdog Says
SANTA MONICA, CA – New details of how tech giants Google and Apple spy on users of their smartphones demonstrate the need for Do Not Track Me legislation that would cover mobile devices, Consumer Watchdog said today.
Continue reading...Smartphones Like Apple’s iPhone Hold Treasure Trove of Data on Users’ Lives
22. April 2011
“These aren’t smartphones — they are spy phones,” said John M. Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project. “Consumers must have the right to control whether their data is gathered and how it is used. People don’t realize the absolute gold mine of data about their life that exists inside their smartphone,” he added. “There really needs to be an educational process started so that people will begin to understand that.”
Continue reading...Privacy Groups Urge Public to Push for Industry Adoption of Google Buzz Settlement Terms
21. April 2011
A coalition of leading privacy groups urged the public to push for industrywide adoption of the tough online data protection terms the government imposed on Google as part of a recent settlement of complaints about its Buzz social network. Google agreed to new measures to protect consumer data that include adopting a sweeping privacy policy […]
Continue reading...As Americans Ponder Their Fair Share of Income Tax, Consumer Watchdog Urges No Tax Holiday for Global Giants Like Google That Use Dodgy Tax Avoidance Schemes
15. April 2011
WASHINGTON, DC – As average Americans focus today on their income tax bill, Consumer Watchdog called on President Obama and the chairmen of the House and Senate tax committees to block calls for a tax holiday that would unfairly benefit corporate giants like Google.
Continue reading...Google Email Bid Facing Hurdles
14. April 2011
In an internal memo first obtained by the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, the city in December said Google and its partner Computer Sciences Corp. repeatedly committed to and then missed deadlines to solve data security issues that were preventing the Los Angeles Police Department from moving onto Google’s system.
Continue reading...Google’s Misrepresentations To Government About Cloud Computing Service Warrant House Oversight Committee Investigation, Consumer Watchdog Tells Congressman Issa
14. April 2011
WASHINGTON, DC — Consumer Watchdog today asked the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee to investigate Google’s misrepresentations about its “cloud computing” services as the Internet giant has tried to sell them to the federal government, as well as state and municipal governments.
Continue reading...Safari The Latest To Include “Do Not Track”
14. April 2011
“We strongly believe that any privacy bill should direct the Federal Trade Commission to require and enforce a “Do Not Track Me” mechanism. Consumers should have the right to use the Internet and mobile devices with confidence that their privacy choices are respected, and with anonymity if they choose,” John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog president, wrote in a letter to Senators McCain and Kerry.
Continue reading...Will Google’s Legal Woes Define How Far It Crossed The Creepy Line?
14. April 2011
Consumer Watchdog’s scorecard is full of “evil” tally marks against Google. Some claim that Microsoft is spreading FUD, but legal woes facing Google seem to disagree that Google hasn’t crossed creepy line.
Continue reading...Senators Propose New Online Privacy Law
13. April 2011
While consumer advocacy organizations like the Consumer’s Union and the Consumer Federation of American supported the proposal, a separate contingent of consumer privacy advocates — including Consumer Watchdog and the Center for Digital Democracy — applauded the bipartisan effort, but said more could be done.
Continue reading...Privacy Advocates Say McCain-Kerry Bill Falls Short
13. April 2011
“We strongly believe that any privacy bill should direct the Federal Trade Commission to require and enforce a “Do Not Track Me” mechanism. Consumers should have the right to use the Internet and mobile devices with confidence that their privacy choices are respected, and with anonymity if they choose,” John M. Simpson, president of the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, wrote in a letter to Senators McCain and Kerry.
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22. April 2011