Tag Archive | "advertising"

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Applauds FTC, EU Investigations of Google’s Violation of Apple Users’ Privacy

CONTACT: , 310-392-0522 x308; or Jamie Court, x327

Friday, March 16, 2012

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Consumer Watchdog Applauds FTC, EU Investigations of Google’s Violation of Apple Users’ Privacy

Says FTC Action Needed to Stop Google Engineers Playing ‘Fast and Loose’ With Consumers’ Private Information Santa Monica, CA – Consumer Watchdog welcomed reports today confirming that the Federal Trade Commission and European regulators are investigating Google for violating the online privacy choices of consumers using the Safari web browser on Apple computers, iPhones and iPads. In a letter last month, Consumer Watchdog said that Google was lying to consumers and called on the FTC to act.

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Reding: Google Privacy Policy Is Illegal

By , eWEEK.COM

Monday, March 5, 2012

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California-based Google critic Consumer Watchdog called Google’s sweeping changes a “spy policy” rather than a privacy policy, an allusion to the fact that the move will help Google funnel data on users in one larger silo for targeted ads.

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Google Privacy Policy Strikes Out With EU, Others

By , INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY

Thursday, March 1, 2012

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"Calling this a privacy policy is Orwellian doublespeak," John Simpson, privacy project director for Consumer Watchdog and a longtime Google critic, said in a statement. "Google isn't telling you about protecting your privacy. Google is telling you how they will gather information about you on all of its services, combine it in new ways and use the fat new digital dossiers to sell more ads. They're telling you how they plan to spy on you."

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Google Enforces New Privacy Policy, Despite International Outcry About Its Implications

By , ONENEWSPAGE.COM

Thursday, March 1, 2012

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"Calling this a 'privacy policy' is Orwellian doublespeak," said John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog's Privacy Project Director. "Google isn't telling you about protecting your privacy. Google is telling you how they will gather information about you on all its services, combine it in new ways and use the fat new digital dossiers to sell more ads. They're telling you how they plan to spy on you. It's a spy policy."

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Google Rolls Out New Privacy Policy Amid Howls

By , AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

Thursday, March 1, 2012

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"Calling this a 'privacy policy' is Orwellian doublespeak," said John Simpson of the US advocacy group Consumer Watchdog.

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Google’s Privacy Rules Grow, But Do Protections?

By , SMARTMONEY BLOG - WSJ.COM

Thursday, March 1, 2012

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“Google claims that it’s attempting to streamline its policies — in fact, it’s about building even more detailed digital dossiers about the people who use Google services so that Google will get more ad revenue.,” says John M. Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project, a California-based non-profit organization.“

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Press Release

White House Plan For Privacy Bill Of Rights Could Boost Protections, Consumer Watchdog Joins Groups Issuing Principles For Fair Process, Voices Some Concerns

CONTACT: , 310-392-7041

Thursday, February 23, 2012

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White House Plan For Privacy Bill Of Rights Could Boost Protections, Consumer Watchdog Joins Groups Issuing Principles For Fair Process, Voices Some Concerns

SANTA MONICA, CA – The Obama Administration's blueprint to protect online privacy with a "Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights" unveiled today could provide meaningful protections, Consumer Watchdog said, but warned that the test of its effectiveness will come as the implementation unfolds. The nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest group also voiced a concern that an announced Internet industry commitment to honor "Do Not Track" could be aimed at undercutting an effort by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to create a strict Do Not Track standard.

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Google Caught Tracking Apple Users

By , THEHILL.COM - HILLICON VALLEY BLOG

Friday, February 17, 2012

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Consumer Watchdog, a frequent Google critic, accused the company of lying and urged the Federal Trade Commission to take "immediate action" to crack down on the "unfair and deceptive trade practices."

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Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Praises European Action on Google’s New Privacy Policy, Calls For FTC To Determine If Proposed Changes Violate Consent Agreement

CONTACT: , 310-392-7041; or cell: 310-292-1902

Friday, February 3, 2012

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Consumer Watchdog Praises European Action on Google’s New Privacy Policy, Calls For FTC To Determine If Proposed Changes Violate Consent Agreement

SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today praised European data protection authorities for asking Google to delay implementation of its new privacy and data policies and said the U.S. Federal Trade Commission should determine whether the new policies violate the terms of Google’s consent agreement with the commission.

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Measure to Ease Video-Rental Privacy Curbs Catches Flack in Senate

By , TECHNEWSWORLD

Thursday, February 2, 2012

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The law would allow Netflix and other providers to share movie titles not only with social-media outlets such as Facebook, but also with third-party partners. Privacy advocates hate the proposal. "It is a horrible idea," Consumer Watchdog's John M. Simpson told TechNewsWorld.

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One Privacy Policy To Rule Them All: What Google’s Controversial New Terms of Service Could Mean To You

By , ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY POPWATCH BLOG

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

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Consumer Watchdog’s John Simpson points out that personalized advertisements targeted directly to a specific user, based on user-collected information, can be “a substantial amount” more lucrative than just an anonymous ad. And with all the information Google can collect about your interests from your searches, your Google Docs, and your favorite YouTube videos, they can figure out pretty specifically what ads they should show you. “They are positioning this as streamlining privacy,” Simpson says. “But that’s just PR. It’s all about better targeting for advertisers.”

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Facebook Critics Hope IPO Forces Some Hard Questions

By , NATIONAL JOURNAL

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

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"It's hard to predict exactly what sort of gaffe they’ll do next, but it would not surprise me if there is yet another one," said John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project, noting some concerns over Facebook’s recent expansion of its Timeline feature, which makes it easier to visualize, share, and view users’ profile history.

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Facebook’s IPO May Be the Last Straw for Privacy-Minded Users

By , E-COMMERCE TIMES

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

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Even as a private company, Facebook had no problem pushing the envelope, Consumer Watchdog spokesperson Carmen Balber told the E-Commerce Times. "Facebook is already treading dangerous waters as far as privacy rights are concerned. The pressure to monetize consumers' user data will be greater when there are shareholders to satisfy."

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