Tag Archive | "legislation"
Google Will ‘Fight’ for AdMob Deal, Schmidt Says
Consumer Watchdog and Center for Digital Democracy were concerned more about the impact the deal would have on consumers' ability to protect their privacy than the possible antitrust implications of the acquisition.
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog Launches Inside Google Website To Focus Light on Internet Giant
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Consumer Watchdog today formally launched its new Website, Inside Google, to focus attention on the company’s activities and hold Google accountable for its actions. The sites’ URL is http://insidegoogle.com.
Continue reading...Google’s Growth Markets Include Lobbying
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Those numbers might have gone unnoticed if not for a handful of critics who fear Google is becoming too dominant in its markets and is seeking to become too influential in Washington, D.C. Perhaps chief among those critics is John Simpson, a consumer advocate at the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog. Simpson says he would like to see the Justice Department launch a broad antitrust investigation of Google.
Continue reading...New Web Ad Privacy Bill Riles All Sides
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
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.
Continue reading...Privacy Bill Mimics Industry Self-Regulation
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
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.
Continue reading...Privacy Groups, Business Firms Firing Warning Shots on New Online Ad Privacy Bill
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
“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.”
Continue reading...Antitrust Concerns Linger In Google Books Deal
Monday, November 16, 2009
The revised Google Books settlement agreement may quiet international opponents, but it still gives Google a monopoly on commercializing out-of-print books where the copyrights are unclaimed and fails to protect consumer privacy, opponents said on Monday. Also troubling to critics is the fact that the revised settlement circumvents traditional copyright provisions by allowing Google to digitize orphan works without first getting rights holder permission, while any Google competitors are blocked from doing so barring legislation granting them licensing rights. "For the millions of volumes of orphan books that Google has already scanned in, they can offer those without risk of anyone coming forward and suing them for infringement," said John Simpson, a consumer advocate at Consumer Watchdog.
Continue reading...Internet Users Oppose Being Tracked, Study Says
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Backer of Google Critic Supports Research Showing Users Don't Want Tailored Ads SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Roughly two-thirds of Americans oppose being tracked on the Internet in exchange for receiving tailored advertising, according to a new study by scholars from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkeley.
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...DOJ: Google’s Book Settlement Needs Rewrite
Friday, September 18, 2009
The U.S. Department of Justice late Friday urged the court overseeing Google's book search settlement with authors and publishers to reject the settlement in its current form, although it strongly hinted that the parties are flexible on certain provisions.
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Wednesday, May 19, 2010
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