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By Juliana Gruenwald , NATIONAL JOURNAL - TECH DAILY DOSE
Consumer Watchdog plans to deploy a group of mimes wearing white track suits emblazoned with Google's "Don't Be Evil" motto Wednesday, just as Google Chairman Eric Schmidt is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The mimes will mercilessly track senators and their staffers as they move through the Dirksen Senate office building..
Continue reading...Press Release
CONTACT: Carmen Balber , 202-629-3043; John M. Simpson, cell: 310-292-1902
Monday, September 19, 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumer Watchdog’s latest online animated video debuted today, satirizing Google CEO Larry Page and Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt to dramatize Google’s information monopoly and make the case for Do Not Track Legislation. The video, “Supercharge,” exposes actual quotes by the executives and shows the two Google executives stalking a United States Senator through the signal in his Android mobile phone.
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By Jay Greene , CNET.COM
Sunday, September 18, 2011
While there are plenty of groups worried about Internet privacy, few have gone to the lengths of Consumer Watchdog, which relishes its role as a thorn in Google's side. In addition to the videos, the group has sponsored conferences, written editorials, and taken out ads, all aimed at focusing a spotlight on Google's conduct. Its primary concern is that Google is gathering a huge trove of personal information, much of it without consumers' knowledge. Worse still, according to the group, is that consumers are powerless to stop it. Consumer Watchdog's Court refers to the data that Google is able to amass as "an information monopoly."
Continue reading...Blog Post
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, [...]
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By Jay Greene , CNET.COM
Thursday, September 8, 2011
"This is exactly why Google is on the hot seat for antitrust," said Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court, an activist and frequent thorn in Google side. "This is when the search engine becomes the find engine."
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Posted by John M. Simpson
Monday, August 29, 2011
It became clear over the weekend why Google agreed to a whopping $500 million settlement with the Justice Department to end criminal charges that it aided in the sale of illegal drugs from Canada. Co-founder and CEO Larry Page knew that the Internet giant was breaking the law.
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By Erika Morphy , E-COMMERCE TIMES
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Google has agreed to a US$500 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice for allowing online Canadian pharmacies to place ads through its AdWords program targeting consumers in the United States.
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CONTACT: John M. Simpson , 310-392-7041 or cell: 310-292-1902; or Carmen Balber, 202-629-3043
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
SANTA MONICA, CA -- Consumer Watchdog praised the U.S. Justice Department today for forcing Google to forfeit $500 million because it allowed illegal drug ads through its AdWords program, but said the problem of predatory and deceptive advertising on the Internet giant's services continues. Further enforcement action by regulators is needed, the group said.
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By Alastair Stevenson , INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES
Monday, July 11, 2011
John M. Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog's Privacy Project commented on the news, "A top Google executive will finally face serious questioning about the company's behavior."
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By Carla Marinucci , SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE SPIN CYCLE BLOG
Friday, July 8, 2011
A leading California consumer group has formally asked White House counsel to rule on the ethics of what it calls the Obama Administration's "inappropriate" outreach -- including State Dinner invites -- to head honchos of Google, a firm reportedly under criminal investigation by the Justice Department.
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Posted by John M. Simpson
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Since April when Bloomberg News reported that the Federal Trade Commission was contemplating a full-blown antitrust investigation of Google, people who follow the Internet giant have been waiting for the other shoe to drop. It did on Thursday with the report in the Wall Street Journal that the five-member Commission is about to serve Google with civil subpoenas -- known as Civil Investigative Demands -- about its business practices.
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By Staff Writers , UPI (United Press International)
Friday, May 20, 2011
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 20 (UPI) — U.S. technology giant Google Inc. said it is taking a proactive stance against illegal advertising, the subject of a U.S. Justice Department probe. “Google has a natural long-term financial incentive to make sure that the advertisements we serve are trustworthy,” said company spokeswoman Diana Adair, The Washington Post [...]
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By Byron Acohido , USA TODAY
Thursday, May 19, 2011
John Simpson, spokesman for Consumer Watchdog, notes that the FCC is continuing an investigation into Google's past practice of sending fleets of specially equipped vehicles criss-crossing city streets in 30-plus nations to take photos for its mapping service -- and to collect data from Wi-Fi systems in homes and businesses.
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Tuesday, September 20, 2011
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