Inside Google

Blog Post

Google Ending Privacy Breach Consumer Watchdog Targeted In FTC Complaint

Posted by John M. Simpson

Google apparently is ending an egregious privacy breach involving people who buy apps from its Google Play store using Google Wallet to pay. Consumer Watchdog filed a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission with a copy to California Attorney General Kamala Harris about what Google was doing. The complaint alleged that the Internet giant was violating its privacy policies and its "Buzz" consent agreement with the FTC.

Blog Post

EU’s Google Antitrust Deal Beats FTC, But Still Doesn’t Do Enough

Posted by John M. Simpson

Details of Google's proposed settlement with the European Union to avoid antitrust charges have been leaking out of Brussels over the weekend. And while EU competition authorities appear to have accomplished more that the gentle tap on the wrist meted out by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the deal as so far revealed doesn't do enough to end Google's anti-competitive practices.

Companies Press European Antitrust Regulators To Act Against Google

John M. Simpson

Eleven Internet Companies are pressing European antitrust regulators to take strong action against Google so that the Internet giant's smaller rivals aren't hurt. And what happens across the pond in this case could have an impact on possible antitrust action in the United States.

Blog Post

Get Real Sergey, But Here’s How You Could Actually Help

Posted by John M. Simpson

Sergey Brin, Google's co-founder, is getting a little bit of ink for his suggestion that all politicians elected today quit their parties and "govern as independents in name and in spirit."

Blog Post

Google’s Dominance Sparks Fear, Draws Antitrust Concerns

Posted by John M. Simpson

A weekend New York Times article puts a clear focus on the issues that are drawing antitrust regulators to focus on the Internet giant’s anticompetitive practices. Written by Steve Lohr and Clair Cain Miller the article, Google Casts a Big Shadow on Smaller Web Sites, explains what’s going on: Regulators in the United States and [...]

Blog Post

Pressure Mounts Against Google for Its Anticompetitive Behavior

Posted by John M. Simpson

Signs that Google will soon face strong antitrust action on both sides of the Atlantic are increasing with a report Thursday from Bloomberg News Service that the the Federal Trade Commission staff has recommended that the Internet giant be sued for unfairly blocking competitors' access to smartphone-technology patents.

News Clipping

Consumer Watchdog: Google’s Safari-Hack Settlement Not In Public Interest

By Wendy Davis , ONLINE MEDIA DAILY

Consumer Watchdog challenges that $4 million figure. "The government has not given this court any insight into how it made its calculations," the organization argues, adding that it needs more evidence from Google in order to determine the extent of profits from the workaround.

News Clipping

Privacy Bill of Rights Would Face Uncertainty Under Romney Presidency, Observers Say

By Alexei Alexis , BLOOMBERG BNA

“I think Romney would let the effort die,” said John Simpson, privacy project director for Consumer Watchdog, a Washington-based public interest group. “He's an advocate of less regulation on business, so I don't see much hope that he would be would be concerned about privacy.”

News Clipping

Court Will Reconsider Google’s Safari Privacy Deal

By Martyn Williams , PCWORLD.COM

While the FTC and Google came up with the settlement, it needs to be approved by a judge, which is what next month's hearing is about. Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group that has been critical of Google's privacy measures, will argue that the court should not sign off on the deal.

Press Release

Google, Facebook Continue Pumping Money Into Lobbying Efforts Setting New Records

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041

SANTA MONICA, CA -- Google and Facebook continued to pump money into their Washington lobbying efforts in the third quarter with the Internet giant spending its second most amount in one quarter while the social networking company spent its most ever for one quarter. “Google and Facebook would have you believe that they are different from other corporations,” said John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project director. “They are not. They are following the corrupt corporate tradition in Washington: buying what you want.”

News Clipping

Microsoft Expands Gathering and Use of Data From Web Products

By Edward Wyatt , THE NEW YORK TIMES

''What Microsoft is doing is no different from what Google did,'' said John M. Simpson, who monitors privacy policy for Consumer Watchdog, a California nonprofit group. ''It allows the combination of data across services in ways a user wouldn't reasonably expect. Microsoft wants to be able to compile massive digital dossiers about users of its services and monetize them.''

Press Release

Google, Oracle Of Transparency, Gets Caught By Transparency; Consumer Watchdog Says Earnings Report Glitch Should Be Wake Up Call For Online Privacy

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041

SANTA MONICA, CA -- Consumer Watchdog urged the founders of Google to take today's early leak of financial information -- which caused Google to ask to suspend trading in its stock -- as a wake up call for the billionaire executives and prompt them to support giving Google users the right to suspend trading in their own private information.

News Clipping

Google Razzle Dazzles With Data Center Display

By Richard Adhikari , TECHNEWSWORLD.COM

"Putting a data center on Street View is a gimmick," Consumer Watchdog's John M. Simpson told TechNewsWorld. "It doesn't reveal anything meaningful about how Google does business. Google says it wants to organize the world's information and make it more accessible but, when it comes to its own information and procedures, the company remains a black box."