Washington, DC – Consumer Watchdog told the Senate Judiciary Committee that it is, “deeply distressed to learn that President Obama is meeting with Google CEO Eric Schmidt today behind closed doors as the Justice Department is poised to render its decision on Google’s acquisition of ITA, which has caused deep concern within in the travel industry about Google’s ability to drive out competitors in the online airline booking industry."
Continue reading...Friday, February 11, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC — “Do Not Track Me” legislation introduced in Congress today by Rep. Jackie Speier, D-CA, will let consumers block unwanted tracking of their information online, said the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog at a press conference today with the bill author and consumer and privacy advocates.
Continue reading...Wednesday, February 2, 2011
When involved in a spat over allegations of unauthorized copying or misappropriation of content and ideas, Google -- fairly or not -- usually plays the villain... "Google's complaint is the height of hypocrisy. The company's entire business model is built on the use of other people's content usually without bothering to seek permission," said John Simpson, from Consumer Watchdog's Inside Google research team.
Continue reading...Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Consumer Watchdog has taken their public war of words with Google to a whole new level. The group’s recent 32-page report generates complaints that suggest Google is benefitting from US corporatism.
Continue reading...Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Google is in hot water again -- or it will be if Consumer Watchdog can persuade the public to ask Congress to take action over the Google "Wi-Spy scandal." Additionally, Consumer Watchdog published a report, Lost in the Cloud: Google and the US Government, that highlights Google's relationship with NSA and claims the search giant has also "inappropriately benefited" from close and secretive relationships with other government agencies.
Continue reading...Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Google has been called on to give greater transparency to its lobbying in Washington following its refusal to release details from a presentation that seeks to persuade governmental policy makers and regulators of its compliance to competitiveness rules. Consumer Watchdog, which describes itself as a nonprofit, nonpartisan, consumer advocacy organization, has called for the 89-page presentation, which will be shown during a forthcoming meeting, to be made public.
Continue reading...Monday, January 31, 2011
Google’s increasing monetary dedication to influencing policy decisions worries some privacy advocates who oppose the company’s policies. “It’s a huge increase and shows that Google has become a high-stakes influence peddler throwing its weight around Washington like the rest of corporate America,” says John Simpson, a privacy advocate with Consumer Watchdog, a group that regularly opposes Google’s decisions.
Continue reading...Monday, January 31, 2011
SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog today called on Google to end the secrecy surrounding its lobbying efforts in Washington after the Internet giant refused to release an 89-page presentation it is showing to policymakers and regulators in the nation’s capital. The call came as the Internet giant’s lobbying spending soared to $5.2 million in 2010 from $4.03 million in 2009.
Continue reading...Saturday, January 29, 2011
Consumer Watchdog decried today's agreement between Google and the state. "The details of the biggest privacy breach in history shouldn’t be settled in secret,” said John M. Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Inside Google Project. “This makes it clear why Google CEO Eric Schmidt needs to testify under oath before Congress about Wi-Spy.”
Continue reading...Friday, January 28, 2011
The advocacy group Consumer Watchdog has issued a report criticizing Mountain View-based Google's "cozy" relationship with the federal government, using the controversial deal for "AirGoogle" to use Moffett as the most visible example, and calling out NASA for playing favorites with Google on Moffett's airfield.
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
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