Inside Google

Google Beats Microsoft in the E-Mail Battle of Los Angeles

Google won the battle with Microsoft for the right to move Los Angeles’ 30,000 municipal employees to its e-mail system, knocking out Novell’s GroupWise platform for the $7.25 million contract. However, the contract comes with a caveat. Google must compensate the
city if its e-mail service is breached and data is stolen. The Los
Angeles Council voted to add the penalty provision 9-3. Consumer
advocates applauded this motion. "Los Angeles residents cannot be sure the city’s confidential or
sensitive data will be secure," said John M. Simpson, consumer advocate
with Consumer Watchdog, "but at least they know there will be a penalty
if security is compromised. It’s essential that this project be closely
watched to ensure that Google keeps its promises."

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Press Release

Authors, Publishers Ask Judge to Postpone Google Book Search Hearing

The Author’s Guild and Association of American Publishers in the Google Book Search settlement asked District Court Judge Denny Chin to postpone his fairness hearing on the deal so they can work with Google and the Department of Justice on amending the agreement. Consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog further suggested that
important issues affecting copyright law should not be negotiated
behind closed doors.

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Press Release

DOJ Asks Court to Reject Google Book Search, Pending Changes

The Department of Justice said the Google Book Search settlement would violate class action, copyright and antitrust law and said it should not be approved without changes. Consumer advocates were joyous about the DOJ’s finding: "This is a victory for consumers and the broad public
interest," said John M. Simpson, consumer advocate with Consumer
Watchdog. "Consumer Watchdog supports digitization and digital
libraries in a robust competitive market open to all organizations,
both for-profit and non-profit, that offer fundamental privacy
guarantees to users. But a single entity cannot be allowed to build a
digital library based on a monopolistic advantage when its answer to
serious questions from responsible critics boils down to: ‘Trust us.
Our motto is "Don’t be evil."’"