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Several groups were all in favor of the subcommittee using a subpoena. “What are Page and Schmidt afraid of? What do they have to hide? Congress should use its subpoena power to determine whether Google’s dominance of the search industry is enabling the company to monopolize the Internet,” said Consumer Watchdog’s John Simpson.
Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC — The refusal of Google’s top executives, CEO Larry Page and Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt to testify at a hearing by the Senate’s antitrust subcommittee demonstrates a contempt for Congress and the full Senate Judiciary Committee should subpoena the two executives, Consumer Watchdog said today.
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“They could say we are hiring lobbyists to keep government off our back or they could say, ‘We do better when our customers have faith in us and trust us and we’ll sit down and negotiate,’” said John Simpson of the Consumer Watchdog. “Up to now, Facebook has stiffed serious attempts at that kind of policy development.”
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EPIC wants the FTC to require Facebook to stop using the technology pending an investigation, as well as ultimately make it opt-in.The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) joined with the Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Watchdog, and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse to file a complaint with the agency, arguing that the facial-recognition software is “unfair and deceptive.”
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“There is every reason to believe that unless the [FTC] acts promptly, Facebook will routinely automate facial identification and eliminate any pretense of user control over the use of their own images for online identification,” Rotenberg wrote in the complaint. EPIC was joined by the Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Watchdog and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.
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The measure is supported by groups including the California State Sheriffs’ Assn., Child Abuse Prevention Council and Consumer Watchdog. Some advocates contend that parents should have the legal authority to order websites to delete online information that puts their children at risk.
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“The message for mobile companies is that they’ve got to get up-to-speed with privacy best practices and act responsibly,” said John M. Simpson, Washington-based director of nonprofit Consumer Watchdog’s privacy project. “If they don’t, there is going to be really strong regulation really quickly,” he said.
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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 20 (UPI) — U.S. technology giant Google Inc. said it is taking a proactive stance against illegal advertising, the subject of a U.S. Justice Department probe. “Google has a natural long-term…
Blog Post
There can’t be anything better than having legislators compete to answer popular demand for better privacy protection. Hauling tech executives in and asking them to explain themselves never hurts. Twice in two weeks is even better.
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John Simpson, spokesman for Consumer Watchdog, notes that the FCC is continuing an investigation into Google’s past practice of sending fleets of specially equipped vehicles criss-crossing city streets in 30-plus nations to take photos for its mapping service — and to collect data from Wi-Fi systems in homes and businesses.
