Inside Google

Europe’s Antitrust Chief Talks Tough On Google

John M. Simpson

Google may have only received a tap on the wrist from the Federal Trade Commission when the agency closed the U.S. antitrust investigation without taking action against the Internet giant for skewing search results to favor its services, but it's looking increasingly likely that Google will face strong action on the other side of the Atlantic.

Google Ruling Shows Need For Do Not Track And Strong Antitrust Action

John M. Simpson

A federal judge's ruling late Friday in a key privacy case demonstrates the need to implement tough "Do Not Track" rules and to take decisive action on the antitrust front against Google.

Blog Post

Google Gets Antitrust Ultimatum From FTC

Posted by John M. Simpson

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz has given Google what Bloomberg News Service describes as an ultimatum to settle the agency's antitrust investigation in the next few days or face a lawsuit.

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.

Blog Post

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

Posted by John M. Simpson

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.

News Clipping

You Have No Privacy. Get Over It

By Graeme Burton , COMPUTING

"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.

Blog Post

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

Posted by John M. Simpson

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.

News Clipping

Proposed Google Settlement is Inadequate: Consumer Watchdog

By Ed Silverstein , TECHZONE360.COM

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.

Press Release

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

CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041 or cell: 310-292-1902

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.

News Clipping

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

By Preston Gralla , COMPUTERWORLD.COM

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."

News Clipping

Judge Allows Challenge To Google Privacy Penalty

By Juliana Gruenwald , TECH DAILY DOSE BLOG - NATIONAL JOURNAL

A federal judge has allowed a public interest group to challenge a $22.5 million fine Google agreed to pay earlier this month to settle allegations that it violated a consent decree it reached last year with the Federal Trade Commission related to violations of its privacy policies.

News Clipping

Google, FTC Settlement Can Face Consumer Group Challenge

By Sara Forden , BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK

A public interest group won the right to oppose a $22.5 million consumer lawsuit settlement between the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Google Inc. over a privacy breach of Apple Inc.’s Safari browser.

News Clipping

Privacy Warriors Win Right To Fight Google’s Itty-Bitty FTC Payout

By Kelly Fiveash , THE REGISTER UK

Opposition to Google's $22.5m privacy blunder settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission is heating up: lobby group Consumer Watchdog confirmed today it has won the right to file a brief against the deal.