Tag Archive | "Europe"
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: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041; or cell: 310-292-1902
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.
Continue reading...News Clipping
One Privacy Policy To Rule Them All: What Google’s Controversial New Terms of Service Could Mean To You
By Christian Blauvelt , ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY POPWATCH BLOG
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
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.”
Continue reading...News Clipping
Facebook Critics Hope IPO Forces Some Hard Questions
By Niraj Chokshi , NATIONAL JOURNAL
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
"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.
Continue reading...News Clipping
Privacy Advocates, Businesses Dig In for EU Lobbying Campaign
By Erika Morphy , E-COMMERCE TIMES
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Facebook, et al., have descended on the city in the hope of softening some of the restrictions, while privacy advocates such as John M. Simpson, the Privacy Project director at Consumer Watchdog, are there to keep the EU on its intended path.
Continue reading...News Clipping
Privacy Advocates Fiercely Furrow Brows at Google
By Richard Adhikari , TECHNEWSWORLD.COM
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The announcement of the changes sparked concern among privacy watchdogs both in the United States and the European Union. "Consumers' online privacy is being eroded," growled John Simpson, a consumer advocate at Consumer Watchdog.
Continue reading...Press Release
Consumer Watchdog Says Sweeping Online Data Protection In Europe Could Benefit U.S. Consumers
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-292-1902; or Carmen Balber, 310-403-0284
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Google's New Arrogant Data Consolidation Policy Underscores Need For Strong Protections BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Landmark online privacy regulations proposed in Europe today that include the concept of a "right to be forgotten" could help provide U.S. consumers with tools necessary to protect their data held by Internet giants like Google, Facebook and Microsoft, if ultimately enacted, Consumer Watchdog said today.
Continue reading...News Clipping
EU Releases Broad Internet Privacy Recommendations
By Kevin Shalvey , INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
A pro-privacy group, Consumer Watchdog, says the "landmark" recommendations are a boon for anyone concerned about keeping personal information private. Consumer Watchdog, a longtime Google critic, pointed to Google's decision to integrateGoogle+ information into search results as a sign that new regulations are necessary to protect consumers.
Continue reading...News Clipping
U.S. Firms Wary of EU’s Proposed Privacy Changes
By Juliana Gruenwald , TECHDAILYDOSE - NATIONAL JOURNAL
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
"Once Google and Facebook are following European rules, there will be no way for the companies to justify the obviously inadequate protection in the U.S.," John Simpson of Consumer Watchdog, a vocal Google critic, said in a statement. Google has come under fire after it said Tuesday that it plans to begin tracking users and collecting data about them as they move from one Google service to another.
Continue reading...Blog Post
FTC Will Probe Google’s Search Update
Posted by John M. Simpson
Friday, January 13, 2012
Google's latest change to its search engine, dubbed "Search plus Your World" apparently has drawn the scrutiny of the Federal Trade Commission because of antitrust concerns, according to Bloomberg News.
Continue reading...Blog Post
Google’s Monopoly Power Raises More Concerns
Posted by John M. Simpson
Friday, September 9, 2011
More examples of Google’s powerful grip on the Internet surfaced this week and its acquisition of the venerable restaurant reviewer, Zagat, raised new concern about how the Internet giant will use its monopoly power in the future. Being a monopoly is not in itself illegal. If you developed the position naturally without breaking any laws, [...]
Continue reading...News Clipping
An Inside Look at Google’s Loudest Critic
By Tom Krazit , CNET.COM
Friday, December 3, 2010
Jamie Court, chief spokesman John Simpson, Washington coordinator Carmen Balber, and social-media strategist Josh Nuni are planning the Future of Online Consumer Protections conference, which was taking place Wednesday amid the Federal Trade Commission's release of a report that threw the government's weight behind a "Do Not Track" list for the Internet: a controversial sentiment among companies that make their money advertising on the Web. They've been handed an early Christmas present courtesy of the European Commission, which chose to announce its decision to formally investigate Google on the eve of Consumer Watchdog's conference as Simpson almost gleefully fields calls from reporters asking for reaction to the investigation.
Continue reading...News Clipping
Facebook, Google Behavioral Ads Will Survive FTC’s Proposed “Do Not Call” Registry for the Web
By Austin Carr , FASTCOMPANY.COM
Thursday, December 2, 2010
At a Consumer Watchdog event Wednesday, the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection proposed a new "Do Not Track" tool to curb privacy concerns over behaviorial advertising. The tool would be akin to the "Do Not Call" registry created in the early aughts which enabled the public to block the surging (and annoying) amount of telemarketers, Politico reports [1]. "Do Not Track" would work within browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox, but would require an act of Congress to pass.
Continue reading...News Clipping
FTC Official Says Agency Is Monitoring Google’s Practices
By Scott Morrison , DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
"You may well see something soon from the U.S. agencies, but I can't promise anything," said Melanie Sabo, Assistant Director for Anticompetitive Practices at the FTC's Bureau of Competition. Speaking at a Consumer Watchdog conference called "The Future of Online Consumer Protection," Sabo said her comments reflect her own views and not those of the FTC. The conference, held in Washington, D.C., was webcast over the Internet.
Continue reading...
Video Player
Consumer Watchdog’s Carmen Balber discusses Internet privacy and the need for an online “Do Not Track Me” list.
Become an Insider
- Watch our new Times Square video: Don't Be Evil?
- Google using search engine to muscle into Internet businesses, study finds
- Can Google explain this search result?
- We have taken the “Do Not Track Me” fight to Times Square!
- You can take action now...
- Dr Janice Duffy: Good on you for calling Google out on this issue. ...
- Panama corporation: The Dublin subsidiary which employs almost 2 000 p...
- Janice: I am not sure but I think I have experienced the s...
- Bob: Yeah, analytics must be a separate company. It's ...
- Bob: I think you guys should start a forum so people ca...
Donate Today
Note: clicking the link will take you to our partner page.
Friday, February 3, 2012
0 Comments