News Clipping
Google wants the city of Los Angeles to switch its 30,000 e-mail users
to an Internet-based system it operates, but rather than address real
questions about the security of such "cloud computing" systems the
Internet giant changes its story depending on its audience.
News Clipping
A consumer advocacy group that is opposed to a plan by the city of Los Angeles to adopt Google’s hosted e-mail and office applications is accusing the company of a double standard on security issues. In a letter to Bernard Parks, chairman of the Los Angeles City
Council’s Budget and Finance Committee, Consumer Watchdog claimed that
Google was being hypocritical in marketing Google Apps to the city.
Press Release
Group Also Releases 3rd Round Of Annotated Google Documents In ‘Charmwatch’ Campaign
SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog today slammed Google for its
apparent hypocrisy in marketing its new "cloud computing" products,
blandly assuring customers that their data is secure on Google Internet
servers but at the same time warning shareholders of the security risks
posed by swift expansion of its commercial online business. The
nonpartisan, nonprofit group sent a letter to a Los Angeles City
Councilman showing that Google says one thing when trying to sell its
products, but something else in federally required filings aimed at
shareholders. Consumer Watchdog also released another round of
annotated Google P.R. documents in its Google “Charmwatch” campaign.
News Clipping
In a letter last week to City Councilman Bernard C. Parks, John Simpson
of advocacy group Consumer Watchdog noted the stark language Google
uses to describe the many things that could go wrong with its
cloud-based systems.
Blog Post
L.A. City council is wrestling with a proposal to shift the city’s 30,000 email users and other computer applications to a system provided by Google. Anytime a deal like this is under consideration, it’s worth checking the money trail. I examined records kept by the Los Angeles Ethics Commission to see who paid what to whom.
Blog Post
The Los Angeles City Council’s Information Technology and General Services (ITGS) Committee on Tuesday
Blog Post
A Los Angeles City Council committee on Tuesday takes up a …
News Clipping
Some interest groups are urging Los Angeles to rethink its plan to implement Google Apps.
Last month’s breach of a hosted Google Apps implementation used by
Twitter Inc. has heightened fears in some quarters that cloud computing
could pose significant security and privacy risks to users. Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group based in Santa Monica, Calif.,
said the Twitter incident raises questions about whether "Google’s
cloud as offered provides adequate safeguards." In a letter to several
Los Angeles city councilors, the group urged that city IT personnel
first test Google Apps with a small group of users, rather than
following the current plan of implementing it for 30,000 users by the
end of this year.
Blog Post
A proposal to switch Los Angeles city government’s email and some other computer applications to a "…
News Clipping
Concerns are the same as with any outsourcing, remote data access, IT managers say.
Consumer Watchdog group said the Twitter incident raises the question
of whether "Google’s cloud as offered provides adequate safeguards."
Moving medical and health-related records, and information on domestic
and sexual assault and substance abuse to Google raises concerns over
how such sensitive data will be protected, the group wrote in a letter
addressed to City Council members. "Before jumping into the Google deal, the City Council needs to insist
on appropriate guarantees — for instance substantial financial
penalties in the event of any security breach," John Simpson, a
consumer advocate for the group wrote.
