Tag Archive | "FTC"

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Google Privacy Policy Changes Pressed For By EU Board

By , INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

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John Simpson, of Consumer Watchdog, a group critical of Google, says in a statement that Google acted with "complete disregard" for users' privacy. "I am glad the European Union is calling out their abuses, but am disappointed that American consumers must look across the Atlantic to see privacy rights defended," Simpson said.

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FTC Readies Antitrust Suit Against Google; Consumer Watchdog Called For Breakup Two Years Ago

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Monday, October 15, 2012

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FTC Readies Antitrust Suit Against Google; Consumer Watchdog Called For Breakup Two Years Ago

News broke over the weekend that Federal Trade Commission staff is calling for the Commission to bring an antitrust case against Google for abusing its dominance in search, an action Consumer Watchdog first called for more than two years ago.

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You Have No Privacy. Get Over It

By , COMPUTING

Thursday, October 4, 2012

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"Google has demonstrated an ability to out-maneuver government regulators repeatedly and ride roughshod over the privacy rights of consumers. Google continues to be disingenuous about its practices," says John Simpson, privacy project director at US organization Consumer Watchdog.

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FTC Estimates Google’s Privacy Hack Earned Up To $4 million

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Monday, October 1, 2012

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FTC Estimates Google’s Privacy Hack Earned Up To $4 million

One of the things you hear when companies try to minimize the impact of privacy violations is an attempt to claim there was no financial harm to consumers. However, in an interesting development the Federal Trade Commission is now publicly estimating that Google's hack around Apple's Safari browser privacy settings earned the Internet giant up to $ 4 million.

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Calif. Gives Driverless Cars Go-Ahead

By , SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

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Another lingering concern about driverless cars is privacy. The machines will have to collect and store certain information about a person's movements as part of their basic functioning, as well as to improve their performance over time. Because of pressure from privacy advocates, the law requires manufacturers to provide written disclosures describing the data collected. But John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog's privacy project, says that doesn't go far enough.

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Press Release

Google’s Driverless Car Law Poses Threat to Californians’ Safety and Privacy

CONTACT: , 310-392-7041

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

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Google’s Driverless Car Law Poses Threat to Californians’ Safety and Privacy

SANTA MONICA, CA – The driverless car law signed today by Gov. Jerry Brown at a ceremony at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View poses threats to Californians’ safety and privacy, Consumer Watchdog said.

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Proposed Google Settlement is Inadequate: Consumer Watchdog

By , TECHZONE360.COM

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

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Consumer Watchdog has criticized the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s proposed $22.5-million fine that Google might pay in connection with privacy settings on Apple’s Safari browser.

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Advocacy Group Urges Court To Reject Google’s ‘Miniscule’ $22.5M Privacy Settlement

By , ONLINE MEDIA DAILY

Monday, September 24, 2012

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A deal that calls for Google to pay a $22.5 million civil penalty for tracking Safari users should be rejected, Consumer Watchdog argues in new court papers. "The proposed settlement is markedly unusual and deficient," the organization says in papers filed on Friday with U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco.

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FTC $22.5 Million Settlement With Google Is Deficient For Three Reasons Including Failure To Include Permanent Injunction, Consumer Watchdog Tells Court

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

Monday, September 24, 2012

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FTC $22.5 Million Settlement With Google Is Deficient For Three Reasons Including Failure To Include Permanent Injunction, Consumer Watchdog Tells Court

SAN FRANCISCO – The Federal Trade Commission’s proposed $22.5 million settlement with Google for hacking past privacy settings on Apple’s Safari browser fails to include a permanent injunction against violating its “Buzz” Consent Decree with the Commission, one of three reasons it be should be rejected, Consumer Watchdog said today.

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Microsoft Launches Google-Is-Evil Campaign Targeted At Safari Users

By , COMPUTERWORLD.COM

Friday, September 21, 2012

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Google never admitted it violated any FTC regulations, although it did agree to pay the fine. The group ConsumerWatchdog.org criticized the settlement because it felt the fine wasn't large enough, and because Google never had to admit it did anything wrong. John Simpson, director of the privacy project at ConsumerWatchdog.org said, "This is letting Google buy its way out of trouble."

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Google Finally Opts For A ‘Do Not Track’ Option

By , DIRECT MARKETING NEWS.COM

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

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“It hasn't been clear yet exactly what it means,” says Consumer Watchdog consumer advocate John Simpson. “The advertising industry, I think, would have it mean that they're not going to target you with behavioral-based advertising. Many of us who are concerned about privacy understand that if you send a Do Not Track message, then your data should not be collected [at all].”

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Privacy Concerns Raised Over California “Robot Car” Legislation

By , FOXNEWS.COM

Friday, September 14, 2012

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A consumer advocacy organization warns that the cars could do more than that, collecting personal information that could be shared with others, and is asking for a gubernatorial veto of the bill approving them, which was passed by the state legislature in August. “The California autonomous car legislation does not provide adequate privacy protection,” says Consumer Watchdog spokesperson John Simpson. “Data should be gathered and retained only as long as necessary to operate the vehicle. The consumer must opt in if it is used for any other purpose.”

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How Google Will Change Your Life

By , CANADIAN BUSINESS

Friday, September 7, 2012

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John Simpson is a former executive editor at Tribune Media and deputy editor of USA Today, now heading up Consumer Watchdog’s Inside Google project that focuses on the company’s dominance over the Internet. “We are not Google’s customers,” says Simpson. “We’re Google’s product. We use their services, that are now all combined, creating a digital dossier on us that becomes the real product offered to advertisers.”

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