Blog Post
Last Tuesday in this space, I opted out of Google’s “interest-based advertising.” Later the same day, Google unveiled an opt-out tool for another personal information collection agent – Google Analytics.
Website owners can use Google Analytics to track visitors on their sites and Google collects the data from all the visits for its own use.
News Clipping
It’s these highly personalized capabilities that raise the hackles of
privacy advocates, however. They raise a host of questions about "how
the data is used and manipulated without the consumer understanding,"
said John Simpson of Consumer Watchdog. Those concerns are only
heightened by the proposed acquisition by Google, which he said could
bore deeper into personal information by coupling its rich user
databases with AdMob’s.
News Clipping
The Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Watchdog and several other advocates are hosting a conference call Sept. 1 to make recommendations about how Congress may better regulate behavioral targeting. Google, Yahoo and Microsoft all use behavioral targeting to better serve ads to Web surfers. The groups want to be heard by Congress, which is working on legislature to better protect consumer privacy online.
News Clipping
Chief among the group’s complaints is Google Suggest, a
feature found in Chrome and other Google applications like Google
Toolbar.
In an effort to publicize what it claims are the privacy failings of Google…
Press Release
Online Video Targets Google’s New “Chrome” Browser, Websites And Software Revealed
SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog has created a You Tube video
showing how your computer could be having an unnoticed conversation
about you with Google. The nonprofit group has called on Google’s
founders and directors to adopt new privacy safeguards that allow for
anonymous internet and software use. Watch the video here and read the letter to Google’s founders here.
