Inside Google

Consumer Watchdog: Google’s Safari-Hack Settlement Not In Public Interest

Consumer Watchdog challenges that $4 million figure. “The government has not given this court any insight into how it made its calculations,” the organization argues, adding that it needs more evidence from Google in order to determine the extent of profits from the workaround.

Advocacy Group Urges Court To Reject Google’s ‘Miniscule’ $22.5M Privacy Settlement

A deal that calls for Google to pay a $22.5 million civil penalty for tracking Safari users should be rejected, Consumer Watchdog argues in new court papers. “The proposed settlement is markedly unusual and deficient,” the organization says in papers filed on Friday with U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco.

Google Agrees To $22.5 Mil Fine For Tracking Safari Users

Google has agreed to a record $22.5 million fine to settle charges that it circumvented the privacy settings of Safari users, the Federal Trade Commission announced on Thursday.

Do-Not-Track Bill Clears California Judiciary Committee

The measure (SB 761), introduced last month by California Sen. Alan Lowenthal, requires the state attorney general to issue regulations that would require Web companies to notify state residents about online data collection and allow them to opt out. The bill, sponsored by Consumer Watchdog, applies not only to so-called personally identifiable information like users’ names, but also to unique identifiers, such as customer numbers of IP addresses.

Do-Not-Track Bill Introduced In California

The advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, which is sponsoring Lowenthal’s bill, says that if it is enacted, California would become the first state to give people the right to eschew online tracking.

Privacy Groups Ask For Greater Oversight Of Pharma Ad Targeting

A coalition of privacy groups and other advocates are asking the Federal Trade Commission to probe whether online health marketers engage in deceptive practices by tracking users across the Web in order to serve them targeted ads.

Official’s Buzz Profile Sparks FOIA Request For His Emails

Google’s Buzz has drawn two privacy lawsuits, a request for a Federal Trade Commission investigation and some pointed criticism by lawmakers. Now, information revealed by Buzz about Andrew McLaughlin, Deputy Chief Technology Officer for the Obama administration and former Google lobbyist, has spurred Consumer Watchdog — which opposed McLaughlin’s appointment — to file a Freedom […]

Press Release

Google Faces New Antitrust Complaints

Earlier this month, the shopping comparison search engine myTriggers brought an antitrust action against Google, alleging that the search giant unfairly lowered myTriggers’ quality score. This
afternoon, the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog piled on. Consumer Watchdog
called for the Department of Justice to investigate whether Google "is
manipulating" search results by returning its own sites high in the
search results.

Privacy And Consumer Advocacy Groups Cite Privacy, Competition Concerns With Google-AdMob Deal

Google’s proposed $750 million acquisition of mobile ad network AdMob
would threaten privacy while also decreasing competition, two advocacy
groups said Monday in a letter to Federal Trade Commission chair Jon
Leibowitz. The organizations are asking the FTC to block the deal. "The consolidation of AdMob into Google would provide significant
amounts of data for targeting advertising," the Center for Digital
Democracy and Consumer Watchdog argue.

Press Release

Library Groups Voice Concerns About Google Books

Google has said the settlement will benefit authors, publishers and readers, because it will result in expanded access to books. Nonetheless, the deal is drawing increasingly vocal critics. Among
others, advocacy group Public Citizen opposes a portion of the
settlement, as does Consumer Watchdog. Additionally, New York Law
School intends to file a brief asking for antitrust oversight of the
deal. Last week, it also came to light that the Justice Department was
making inquiries about the settlement.