As we have been putting Consumer Watchdog’s new Inside Google Website through its paces while it’s still in “Beta” mode, I discovered an example of exactly the sort thing Google needs to explain.
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Can Google explain this search result?
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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.
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Can we draw any conclusions from Google’s new look?
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.
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Facebook Bug Exposes Private Chats
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.
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Facebook Bug Exposed Users’ Chats, Requests for Friends
“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.”
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Librarians shout out for privacy revolution
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/.
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New Web Ad Privacy Bill Riles All Sides
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.
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Privacy Bill Mimics Industry Self-Regulation
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.
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Privacy Groups, Business Firms Firing Warning Shots on New Online Ad Privacy Bill
“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.”
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Consumer Groups Criticize Congressional Bill on Online Consumer Privacy
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.