Tag Archive | "going to court"
Comparing Democratic, GOP fundraisers
Both the Democratic and Republican Senate campaign committees are holding big fundraisers -- the Democrats today at Google headquarters and the Republicans on Monday and Tuesday at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, DC. Consumer Watchdog objected to the Democratic event.
Continue reading...Democrats’ Event Raises Questions About ‘Pay To Play’
Friday, November 13, 2009
A Democratic Party-sponsored "national innovation conference" to examine key policy and technology issues at Google's headquarters beginning today has critics charging that the $5,000-and-up ticket prices limit access to the event to Silicon Valley high rollers and raise the specter of "pay to play" politics. Consumer Watchdog in Santa Monica likened the event to Republicans holding an energy conference at an oil company headquarters. The consumer rights group urged California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein and four other senators to boycott the fundraiser sponsored by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Continue reading...Watchdog Blasts Google Event
Thursday, November 12, 2009
A watchdog group is calling on seven senators not to attend an event at Google's headquarters that the organization says is a fundraiser masquerading as a policy conference. Consumer Watchdog sent a letter Wednesday to the seven Democratic senators set to participate in the National Innovation Conference Friday and Saturday sponsored by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. Those listed as attending include: Senators Mark Begich, D-Alaska, Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Tom Carper, D-Del., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Mark Warner, D-Va., as well as President Obama's pollster, Joel Benenson, according to a DSCC brochure obtained by Consumer Watchdog.
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog Calls On Senators To Skip Fundraiser Set For Google Headquarters
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Public Policy Should Be Decided In Hearing Room With Sunlight And Transparency, Group Says SANTA MONICA, CA -- Warning that a Democratic Senate Campaign Committee Fundraiser scheduled to be held at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, CA, on Friday created an appearance of a conflict of interest, Consumer Watchdog called on the seven Senators scheduled to appear not to attend.
Continue reading...Big Bird’s Birthday: Part Of Google’s Charm Campaign?
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
For Big Bird's birthday, the Sesame Street icon's feet replaced the L in Google's search logo. Is Google pressing Big Bird into the service of its charm offensive? Critics say its corporate motto of “Don’t be evil” is a smoke screen for invasive procedures that are stripping away privacy (like scanning your gmail account for keywords to create targeted advertising). “I love Google. But I also fear Google,” says Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog. “It’s made finding information remarkably easy, but I’m not under any illusion that that’s a free lunch. And most Internet users have had their eyes opened recently to the fact that they are being tracked and they don’t have a way of stopping that.”
Continue reading...Critics Of Google Online-Books Deal Seek Delay
Thursday, October 22, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Critics of Google's deal with an authors' group to put millions of books online have asked for a delay in a hearing set to consider the settlement in a court filing on Thursday. A long list of critics of the deal, including Yahoo, Amazon, Microsoft, the National Writers Union, Consumer Watchdog and singer Arlo Guthrie, argued on Thursday that the original class action settlement was long and complex and any changes would only add to its complexity
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog Highlights Google Hypocrisy In Differing ‘Cloud Computing’ Statements
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
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.
Continue reading...US Judge Postpones Googlebooks Hearing
Friday, September 25, 2009
$125 Million Pact 'Raises Significant Issues' "Clearly, voices such as ours had an impact on Judge Chin," says John Simpson, of the consumer watchdog known as Consumer Watchdog, one of the many organizations opposed to the deal. "There was no way the proposed settlement could go forward. Consumer Watchdog is pleased there will be a status hearing on the case on Oct. 7." Like the Open Book Alliance - a group that includes the Internet Archive, Microsoft, and Amazon - Consumer Watchdog advocates solving the ebook copyright issue with federal legislation. "We believe that will demonstrate that the proper place to solve many of the case's thorniest problems, such as that of orphan books, is in Congress," Simpson says. "Consumer Watchdog urges Congress to act expeditiously because it is important to build digital libraries."
Continue reading...Judge Delays Google Books Hearing
Friday, September 25, 2009
A New York judge has put Google's vision of creating the world's biggest digital library on hold. Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo have filed objections to the settlement with the court, along with the French and German governments, privacy advocates and consumer watchdog groups. "Clearly voices such as ours had an impact on Judge Chin," wrote consumer watchdog advocate John Simpson in an email to BBC News. "There was no way the proposed settlement could go forward. We believe that the proper place to solve many of the case's thorniest problems, such as that of orphan books, is in Congress because it is important to build digital libraries."
Continue reading...Fairness Hearing Postponed For Google Books Deal
Thursday, September 24, 2009
John M. Simpson, a consumer advocate with Consumer Watchdog who testified about the deal before the House Judiciary Committee, said any agreement should also involve input from Congress. He said the agreement as it now stands would have given Google a monopoly over the digitizing of books. "The judge put his fingers exactly on the issues in the case," Simpson said.
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Friday, November 13, 2009
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