Inside Google

Consumer Watchdog praises state Attorneys General for continuing Wi-Spy probe

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog today praised a coalition of state attorneys general led by Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal for continuing an investigation into Google’s Wi-Spying scandal in the wake of the Federal Trade Commission halting its probe earlier this week.

Privacy Advocates Blast FTC’s Inaction Over Street View Spying

Sidney Hill

“The White House deputy chief technology officer, Andrew McLaughlin, was formerly Google’s head of government affairs, and [Google CEO] Eric Schmidt was on a panel of economic advisors for President Obama’s transition team,” John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Inside Google project, told the E-Commerce Times. “If you asked me if I was surprised that that type of clout and influence could pay off for Google in this case, I would say ‘no,'” Simpson continued. “Do I have proof that it did? Again, I would have to say ‘no.'”

Critics Call For Congressional Hearings On Google’s Wi-Fi Data Harvesting

Byron Acohido

Leading the call for Congressional oversight is John M. Simpson, managing director of the non-profit advocacy group Consumer Watchdog. Simpson calls this two-page letter the FTC sent to Google on Wednesday “premature and wrong. “

FTC Closes Google Privacy Inquiry

Mike Swift

Saying they are satisfied with privacy reforms Google announced last week, U.S. regulators have closed their inquiry into Google’s collection of data from unsecured private Wi-Fi networks through its Street View cars, a decision that was blasted Wednesday by online privacy advocates.

US Regulators Scold Google for Taking E-mails

Michael Liedtke

NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission is scolding Google Inc. without punishing the Internet search leader for collecting e-mails, passwords and other personal information transmitted over unsecured wireless networks. Consumer Watchdog, a group that has been among the most strident critics of Google’s so-called “Wi-Spy” incident, called FTC’s resolution “premature and wrong.” It also suggested that Google’s lobbyists may have swayed the outcome of the inquiry. The company has spent $3.9 million on lobbying activities so far this year and has met with the FTC on variety of topics, according to company disclosures.

Press Release

The monopoly question just won’t go away

CONTACT: Glenn Simpson

Google’s efforts to expand its search advertising business into the online travel sector now faces the combined opposition of its competitors. The campaign against Google is another reminder that policy decisions in Washington are crucial to the company’s efforts to expand beyond its search advertising business which still provides 97 percent of its revenue.

FTC wrong to end Wi-Spy probe — public entitled to full account of abuses

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA — The Federal Trade Commission’s two-page letter ending its probe of the Google Wi-Spy scandal is premature and wrong, Consumer Watchdog said today, and leaves the American public with no official full account of the Internet giant’s repeated invasions of consumer privacy.

A Reassured F.T.C. Ends Google Street View Inquiry

Claire Cain Miller

Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group, called the F.T.C.’s decision “premature and wrong. Once again, Google, with its myriad of government connections, gets a free pass,” John M. Simpson, director of the group’s Inside Google Project, said in a statement.

Google CEO’s creepy advice: ‘Just move’

John M. Simpson

Maybe Google CEO Eric Schmidt thought he was making a joke, but you’d think by now — if he is at all serious about respecting consumers’ privacy — the billionaire executive would understand that privacy is not a laughing matter.

Add a 4th category of lie: Googlespeak

John M. Simpson

You’ve probably heard the description of ways to mislead people that was attributed to British Prime Minister Benjamin Disreali and popularized in this country by Mark Twain: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.” Now we can add a fourth: Googlespeak.