politicians – Page 32 – Inside Google

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Privacy Advocates Blast FTC’s Inaction Over Street View Spying

By Sidney Hill , E-COMMERCE TIMES

28. October 2010

“The White House deputy chief technology officer, Andrew McLaughlin, was formerly Google’s head of government affairs, and [Google CEO] Eric Schmidt was on a panel of economic advisors for President Obama’s transition team,” John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Inside Google project, told the E-Commerce Times. “If you asked me if I was surprised that that type of clout and influence could pay off for Google in this case, I would say ‘no,'” Simpson continued. “Do I have proof that it did? Again, I would have to say ‘no.'”

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Critics Call For Congressional Hearings On Google’s Wi-Fi Data Harvesting

By Byron Acohido , USA TODAY

28. October 2010

Leading the call for Congressional oversight is John M. Simpson, managing director of the non-profit advocacy group Consumer Watchdog. Simpson calls this two-page letter the FTC sent to Google on Wednesday “premature and wrong. “

News Clipping

FTC Closes Google Privacy Inquiry

By Mike Swift , SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

27. October 2010

Saying they are satisfied with privacy reforms Google announced last week, U.S. regulators have closed their inquiry into Google’s collection of data from unsecured private Wi-Fi networks through its Street View cars, a decision that was blasted Wednesday by online privacy advocates.

News Clipping

US Regulators Scold Google for Taking E-mails

By Michael Liedtke , ASSOCIATED PRESS

27. October 2010

NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission is scolding Google Inc. without punishing the Internet search leader for collecting e-mails, passwords and other personal information transmitted over unsecured wireless networks. Consumer Watchdog, a group that has been among the most strident critics of Google’s so-called “Wi-Spy” incident, called FTC’s resolution “premature and wrong.” It also suggested that Google’s lobbyists may have swayed the outcome of the inquiry. The company has spent $3.9 million on lobbying activities so far this year and has met with the FTC on variety of topics, according to company disclosures.

News Clipping

A Reassured F.T.C. Ends Google Street View Inquiry

By Claire Cain Miller , THE NEW YORK TIMES

27. October 2010

Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group, called the F.T.C.’s decision “premature and wrong. Once again, Google, with its myriad of government connections, gets a free pass,” John M. Simpson, director of the group’s Inside Google Project, said in a statement.

Blog Post

Google’s PAC joins Republican bandwagon

Posted by Glenn Simpson

22. October 2010

In a move that’s either deeply pragmatic or deeply cynical, Silicon Valley’s most openly pro-Democratic company shifted course this fall and gave more than half its political action committee donations to Republicans. Google Inc. NetPAC gave Republicans $57,500 between July and October, the group’s filing this week with the Federal Election Committee shows. That’s 55% of the $105,000 total contributions; Democrats received $47,500 or 45%.

Press Release

Google increases spending on lobbying to $1.2 million

CONTACT: John M. Simpson

21. October 2010

SANTA MONICA, CA — Google increased its spending on lobbying 11 percent over the previous year to $1.2 million in the third quarter demonstrating the Internet giant’s willingness to spend to shape federal policy, Consumer Watchdog said today. In the comparable quarter a year ago Google spent $1.08 million. A key to Google’s lobbying effort is its well-connected Washington staff, the nonpartisan, nonprofit public interest group said.

News Clipping

Google Called Chicken for Dodging Privacy Debate

By Byron Acohido , USA TODAY

30. September 2010

The advocacy group Consumer Watchdog is broadcasting Jumbotron video ads all this week in the heart of New York’s Times Square to mock Google as a big chicken for dodging a privacy debate.

News Clipping

Dear Google: Do Not Track Me

By Emily Badger , THE IDEA LOBBY BLOG (Miller-McCune Magazine)

17. September 2010

“That’s kind of a fundamental human right,” argued John Simpson, an advocate with Consumer Watchdog. “The books that people have been taking out of the library are not something that’s shared, and librarians have fought to maintain that. Generally, you can’t go in and say, ‘What’s my wife been reading on her library card? What’s my son been reading on our library card?’ It’s private. In the same way, the Internet is a great source of information, and people ought to be able to consider that their activity online is private in the same way. The fact of the matter is that it’s not right now.”

Press Release

Google engineer’s privacy problems should spur Internet giant to answer four key questions about users’ privacy, Consumer Watchdog says

CONTACT: John M. Simpson

16. September 2010

SANTA MONICA, CA — The consumer group that recently launched a popular online animated satire of Google’s privacy problems embodied in an ice cream truck said the revelation that a Google engineer tracked children down shows that private information is never safe if it is in Google’s hands. Consumer Watchdog called on Google to publicly answer some basic questions about how effectively it protects consumers’ privacy.

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