Tag Archive | "legislation"
One Privacy Policy To Rule Them All: What Google’s Controversial New Terms of Service Could Mean To You
Consumer Watchdog’s John Simpson points out that personalized advertisements targeted directly to a specific user, based on user-collected information, can be “a substantial amount” more lucrative than just an anonymous ad. And with all the information Google can collect about your interests from your searches, your Google Docs, and your favorite YouTube videos, they can figure out pretty specifically what ads they should show you. “They are positioning this as streamlining privacy,” Simpson says. “But that’s just PR. It’s all about better targeting for advertisers.”
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog Urges Google Congressional Briefing Be Open To Public, Says Closed-Door Session Demonstrates Internet Giant Executives’ ‘Hypocrisy’
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today called for a Congressional briefing about Google’s new privacy and data policies to be open to the public and said a closed door-session with the lawmakers demonstrated Google executive’s “hypocrisy.”
Continue reading...Facebook Critics Hope IPO Forces Some Hard Questions
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
"It's hard to predict exactly what sort of gaffe they’ll do next, but it would not surprise me if there is yet another one," said John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project, noting some concerns over Facebook’s recent expansion of its Timeline feature, which makes it easier to visualize, share, and view users’ profile history.
Continue reading...Privacy Advocates, Businesses Dig In for EU Lobbying Campaign
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Facebook, et al., have descended on the city in the hope of softening some of the restrictions, while privacy advocates such as John M. Simpson, the Privacy Project director at Consumer Watchdog, are there to keep the EU on its intended path.
Continue reading...U.S. Firms Wary of EU’s Proposed Privacy Changes
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
"Once Google and Facebook are following European rules, there will be no way for the companies to justify the obviously inadequate protection in the U.S.," John Simpson of Consumer Watchdog, a vocal Google critic, said in a statement. Google has come under fire after it said Tuesday that it plans to begin tracking users and collecting data about them as they move from one Google service to another.
Continue reading...Google Overtakes Microsoft in Federal Lobbying Spending
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Consumer Watchdog is one such organization that took umbrage to Google's lobbying spend, which is up 88 percent from 2010. The consumer advocate said Google has abandoned its "Don't Be Evil" roots by buying into "Washington's corrupt "cash and carry" political system.
Continue reading...Q4 2011 Lobbying Report Shows Google Spending Skyrocketed
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Consumer Watchdog condemned the increased lobbying by web services. Google "has abandoned its idealistic 'Don't Be Evil' roots and has bought into Washington's corrupt 'cash and carry' political system," the consumer group said. "Facebook, relatively new to the Washington lobbying scene, now appears headed down the same morally bankrupt path as Google," Consumer Watchdog said. Facebook declined to respond. Google didn't answer a request for comment.
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog Asks EU to Block Google, Motorola Deal
Monday, January 23, 2012
A consumer group on Wednesday penned a letter to European regulators asking them to block the pending merger of Google and Motorola Mobility on anticompetitive grounds.
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog Urges EU to Block Google’s Motorola Deal
Monday, January 23, 2012
A U.S. consumer advocacy group has written to the European Commission asking it to block Google's deal to acquire Motorola and to launch an investigation into the Internet giant's alleged anti-competitive behavior.
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog During Brussels Visit Urges European Commission To Block Google’s Motorola Deal And File Formal Antitrust Complaint
Monday, January 23, 2012
BRUSSELS – Consumer Watchdog, a U.S.-based consumer advocacy group, today called for the EU’s antitrust regulators to block Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility and ultimately issue a formal antitrust complaint against the Internet giant’s ongoing business practices.
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Wednesday, February 1, 2012
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