Tag Archive | "Washington DC"
Google CEO Larry Page Has Lost His Voice, But Internet Giant Continues Spending Record Sums To Be Heard In Washington; Facebook Also Sets Record
WASHINGTON, DC – Google and Facebook continued pumping record amounts of money into their lobbying efforts during the second quarter to influence federal lawmakers and regulators, according to lobbying disclosure forms filed with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Continue reading...Google Prepared to Pay $22.5 Million Fine to Settle ‘Cookiegate’
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
John M. Simpson, who is the lead Google researcher at Consumer Watchdog in Santa Monica, California, indicated he is skeptical of Google’s continued claims of innocence, “When they get caught with their fingers in the cookie jar doing something they clearly should not be doing, they say, ‘Oops, it was completely by accident.’”
Continue reading...FTC Turns Deaf Ear to Google’s ‘Ignorance’ Defense in Safari Snafu
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Despite Google's protestations of innocence, or at least ignorance, consumer advocate organizations including Consumer Watchdog decried Google's behavior and filed suit with the FTC. Needless to say, they are delighted about the reports of an impending settlement. "This is a wanton violation on Google's part," John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog's privacy project director, told the E-Commerce Times, brushing aside the company's claims the tracking was accidental. "What made it even worse is that they lied to users about what they were doing," he added. "Google told people they were honoring the Safari browser settings."
Continue reading...Google Would Pay Record FTC Fine Under Tentative Apple Safari Settlement
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Google officials have called the use of tracking cookies an accident caused by technical glitches that have been corrected. Privacy advocates have scoffed at those explanations. “When they get caught with their fingers in the cookie jar doing something they clearly should not be doing, they say, ‘Oops, it was completely by accident,’ ” said John M. Simpson of Consumer Watchdog, based in Santa Monica, Calif., and one of several groups to file complaints about Google’s alleged tracking on Apple browsers.
Continue reading...Source: Google To Pay $22.5M Fine In Privacy Case
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
The FTC's proposed fine was applauded by Consumer Watchdog, a frequent critic of Google's privacy practices. The penalty "sends a strong message about the seriousness of Google's wanton and egregious privacy violation," said John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog's privacy project.
Continue reading...FTC’s Expected Record $22.5 Million Fine For Google Praised By Consumer Watchdog
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Group Complained to Commission After Grad Student Discovered iPads, iPhones Were Hacked SANTA MNICA, CA – The Federal Trade Commission reportedly plans to fine Google $22.5 million for hacking around privacy settings on iPhones and iPads that use Apple’s Safari browser. Consumer Watchdog praised the Commission today for its expected strong action defending consumer privacy.
Continue reading...Law Enforcement Feasts on Cellphone Data
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
The application of constitutional protections in the digital world is far from clear, in many cases, but law enforcement agencies aren't waiting for permission to access data -- they're bombarding providers with requests for information. "It is an outrageous intrusion on users' privacy and potentially troublesome in terms of our eroding constitutional rights," said Consumer Watchdog's John M. Simpson.
Continue reading...The Do-Not-Track Balancing Act
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Online advertisers and privacy advocates generally agree that Do Not Track options should be available on Web browsers. However, there's much debate about whether DNT should be opt-in or opt-out. "The privacy-friendly thing is to have DNT on by default," said Consumer Watchdog's John Simpson. But advertisers say turning on DNT by default would essentially deprive consumers of choice.
Continue reading...Activists Want Stronger Privacy Protections for Driverless Cars
Monday, June 25, 2012
Consumer Watchdog says Google is going to go willy-nilly with data collection for autonomous vehicles, and the California bill shouldn’t get the green light without more restrictions. Internet companies do whatever they want and it needs to stop, a consumer group said in an argument calling for more privacy protection in robotic cars. Consumer Watchdog […]
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog’s Mimes Invade Mountain View Before Google Shareholders Meeting As Its “Track Team” Focuses Attention On Google’s Online Tracking
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Group Plans To Ask Google Executives What They Knew About Wi-Spy MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – Consumer Watchdog today sent its “Google Track Team” comprised of mimes dressed in white track suits to follow shareholders as they gathered for the company’s annual meeting in a bid to focus attention on the Internet giant’s online tracking activity.
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Monday, July 23, 2012
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