Tag Archive | "Facebook"
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Experts Positive on Facebook’s New Privacy Controls
By Juan Carlos Perez , PCWORLD.COM
Privacy advocates and security experts have given Facebook a preliminary thumbs-up on the upcoming changes designed to improve privacy controls on its site.
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Web Tracking Has Become A Privacy Time Bomb
By Byron Acohido , USA TODAY
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Google has been widely known to scan the contents of Gmail messages to deliver targeted text ads. While some don't mind, others believe scanning e-mail to deliver more relevant ads is an invasion of privacy. John Simpson, spokesman for the non-profit advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, isn't convinced the search giant will necessarily stop there. "Part of the problem is that Google collects and stores tremendous amounts of data about its users," Simpson says. "The only assurance we have about what Google's intentions are boils down to 'Trust us.'"
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Google and Facebook Lobbying Expenditures Soar to Records; Consumer Watchdog Asks If Eric Schmidt Should Register As A Lobbyist
CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041; or cell: 310-292-1902
Thursday, July 21, 2011
SANTA MONICA, CA -- Google and Facebook pumped record amounts into their lobbying efforts during the second quarter, according to just filed disclosure reports. Google's spending soared to $2.06 million, a 54 percent increase from the same period a year ago. Facebook spent $320,000 -- nearly as much as its total lobbying expenses for all of last year.
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Facebook Hires D.C. Insiders
By Michelle Quinn , POLITICO
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
“They could say we are hiring lobbyists to keep government off our back or they could say, ‘We do better when our customers have faith in us and trust us and we'll sit down and negotiate,'” said John Simpson of the Consumer Watchdog. “Up to now, Facebook has stiffed serious attempts at that kind of policy development.”
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Privacy Groups Request FTC Probe of Facebook Facial Recognition Tech
By Chloe Albanesius , PCWORLD.COM
Monday, June 13, 2011
EPIC wants the FTC to require Facebook to stop using the technology pending an investigation, as well as ultimately make it opt-in.The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) joined with the Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Watchdog, and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse to file a complaint with the agency, arguing that the facial-recognition software is "unfair and deceptive."
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Privacy Groups Urge Investigation of Facebook Facial Recognition Tool
By Cecilia Kang , THE WASHINGTON POST - POST TECH BLOG
Monday, June 13, 2011
“There is every reason to believe that unless the [FTC] acts promptly, Facebook will routinely automate facial identification and eliminate any pretense of user control over the use of their own images for online identification,” Rotenberg wrote in the complaint. EPIC was joined by the Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Watchdog and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.
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Growing Privacy Scrutiny of Mobile Could Lead to Legislation This Year
By Chantal Tode , MOBILEMARKETER.COM
Monday, May 23, 2011
“The message for mobile companies is that they’ve got to get up-to-speed with privacy best practices and act responsibly,” said John M. Simpson, Washington-based director of nonprofit Consumer Watchdog’s privacy project. “If they don’t, there is going to be really strong regulation really quickly,” he said.
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Web Tracking Bill Draws Fire From Facebook, Google
By John Letzing , MARKETWATCH.COM
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Legislation proposed in California that would mandate a means for Web users to easily prevent websites from gathering their personal information is moving forward, despite intensive lobbying and opposition from some of the state’s largest Internet firms — including Facebook Inc. and Google Inc.
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Do Not Track Our Online Data
By admin Op-Ed By Representative Jackie Speier, POLITICO.COM
Friday, March 4, 2011
The do not track concept is supported across all demographic lines -- including political persuasions. According to Consumer Watchdog, 86 percent of Americans want a “Do Not Track” button created. In addition, 70 percent of Facebook members and 52 percent of Google users say they are either "somewhat" or "very concerned about their privacy, according to a recent a recent USA Today poll.
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Web 2.0 hearing overshadowed by politics; Simpson calls for Wi-Spy probe
Posted by Khan Shoieb
Friday, July 23, 2010
Consumer Watchdog's John M. Simpson testified at a hearing yesterday on federal agency use of Web 2.0 technology, but the hearing got off to a rocky start when Ranking Member Patrick McHenry (R-NC) opted for a procedural gimmick and even introduced a motion to adjourn the hearing before the witnesses were able to testify.
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Google Games in the future?
Posted by Margot Williams
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Google’s plans to create a social media service are taking shape with word that the search giant has invested more than $100 million in Zynga, maker of popular online games available on Facebook
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Standing up to Google’s heavy-handed pressure
Posted by John M. Simpson
Monday, June 7, 2010
I was in Washington, DC, last week to attend EPIC's Champion of Freedom Awards Dinner. One honoree in particular prompted the cross-country trip: The Rose Foundation and how it stood up to Internet giant Google.
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Latest Facebook privacy intrusion touches Google
Posted by John M. Simpson
Thursday, May 20, 2010
In the latest revelation in a seemingly never ending stream of privacy breaches by online companies, we now know that Facebook and MySpace have been sending consumers' personal information to advertisers despite promises that they don't share such data without consent.
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Consumer Watchdog’s Carmen Balber discusses Internet privacy and the need for an online “Do Not Track Me” list.
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Wednesday, August 24, 2011
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