Archive | May, 2010
Consumer Watchdog Targets Google
Every month, Simpson comes to Washington to meet with staff on the Hill and regulatory agencies, journalists and corporate lobbyists. Simpson said he met last week with Jim Tierney, chief of the networks and technology section of the antitrust division of the Justice Department, and staffers about his petition for a broad investigation. Last year, he testified before Congress about privacy and competition concerns in Google’s book settlement.
Continue reading...Can we draw any conclusions from Google’s new look?
7. May 2010
Internet giant Google spiffed up its look and redesigned the appearance of its search pages this week. The move left me wondering what inferences, if any, can be drawn about the Internet giant’s attitude toward intellectual property.
Continue reading...Facebook Bug Exposes Private Chats
5. May 2010
John Simpson, an official with Consumer Watchdog, was displeased with the incident. “Once again we see what happens when companies push the technological envelope with little concern for consumers’ privacy rights,” he said via e-mail.
Continue reading...Facebook Bug Exposed Users’ Chats, Requests for Friends
5. May 2010
“The problem is that Silicon Valley companies rush to get technology out and they just do things and ask for forgiveness later,” said John Simpson, who works on privacy issues for Consumer Watchdog. “But too much is at stake.”
Continue reading...Librarians shout out for privacy revolution
5. May 2010
Librarians are calling for Americans to take charge of their privacy rights in a digital age during Choose Privacy Week May 2-8 at http://www.privacyrevolution.org/.
Continue reading...New Web Ad Privacy Bill Riles All Sides
4. May 2010
Privacy advocates argue that the bill’s exemption for “operational” collection of data–allowing those practices to take place under an “opt-out” rule–gives advertisers far too much leeway. “This bill really adopts an archaic and bankrupt ‘notice and consent’ regime that we all know doesn’t’ work,” says John Simpson, head of the Google Privacy and Accountability project at Consumer Watchdog.
Continue reading...Privacy Bill Mimics Industry Self-Regulation
4. May 2010
Privacy advocates panned the bill during a conference call this afternoon, suggesting its lack of opt-out requirements maintain the status quo. “This bill really adopts and endorses an archaic, bankrupt notice and consent regimen that we know does not work,” said a representative of ConsumerWatchdog.org.
Continue reading...Privacy Groups, Business Firms Firing Warning Shots on New Online Ad Privacy Bill
4. May 2010
“While the discussion has started on this privacy issue because of this bill, I can’t really say very much good about it,” John Simpson from Consumer Watchdog later said on the call. “This bill really adopts and endorses an archaic, bankrupt notice-and-consent regime that we all know does not work.”
Continue reading...Consumer Groups Criticize Congressional Bill on Online Consumer Privacy
4. May 2010
Consumer watchdog groups say a draft congressional bill falls short of its proclaimed intention of protecting the privacy of consumers using the Internet. During a conference call with reporters Tuesday, the groups said they would push for changes to the bill.
Continue reading...Boucher’s Privacy Bill Scolded by Consumer Groups
4. May 2010
The quest for comprehensive, federal privacy legislation has been on many a lawmakers’ wish list for years, and two House members took the next step this week with the release of draft legislation that would require opt-in access to sensitive online data, an expectation of privacy regarding third-party apps, and easily accessible privacy practices. Consumer groups, however, said the bill does not do enough and criticized provisions that would prevent stronger state laws or individual lawsuits.
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9. May 2010