Tag Archive | "Wi-Spy"
Consumer Watchdog Calls California ‘Apps’ Privacy Agreement A Step Forward, But Says Do Not Track Legislation Is Necessary To Protect Consumers
SANTA MONICA, CA – California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ agreement announced today committing the leading operators of mobile application platforms to require privacy policies for applications ("apps") is a step forward, Consumer Watchdog said, but in addition “Do Not Track” regulations must be implemented to fully protect consumers.
Continue reading...Consumer Group Files FTC Complaint Against Google
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
The complaint -- similar to complaints brought by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), the World Privacy Forum and Consumer Watchdog -- alleges that Google is misleading users about the "real reasons" for the privacy policy change, which are due to take effect March 1. In addition, the planned policy changes violate the FTC-Google consent decree by failing to get user consent before sharing information.
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog Praises State Attorneys General Action Against Google
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
SANTA MONICA, CA -- Consumer Watchdog today praised state attorneys general for voicing their concerns about Google’s changes in privacy polices and asking for a meeting with the Internet giant’s CEO Larry Page. Attorneys general from 35 other states and territories joined Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler in sending the letter. They gave Google a week to reply.
Continue reading...Google Bypassed Apple Privacy Settings: Researcher
Saturday, February 18, 2012
"Google has clearly engaged in 'unfair and deceptive' practices," said Consumer Watchdog privacy project director John Simpson, Consumer Watchdog's Privacy Project director. "They have been lying about how people can protect their privacy in their instructions about how to opt out of receiving targeted advertising."
Continue reading...Privacy Brouhaha Reveals Google’s Split Personality
Saturday, February 18, 2012
An FTC spokesman said the agency had received the Consumer Watchdog complaint but said he could not comment further. "We are taking immediate steps to address concerns and we are happy to answer any questions regulators and others may have," Google said in a statement when asked to comment.
Continue reading...How Google Gets Inside Browsers
Saturday, February 18, 2012
The group Consumer Watchdog and some lawmakers asked publicly whether Google had violated last year's settlement agreement with the Federal Trade Commission over an unrelated privacy breach. Some tech watchers said that while the company's actions are certainly questionable, the full extent of the breach probably exceeded what Google had intended to do, as Google itself maintains.
Continue reading...Lawmakers Target Google’s Tracking
Saturday, February 18, 2012
"Google falsely told Safari users that they could control the collection of data…when in fact Google was circumventing the preference," wrote John Simpson, the privacy-project director with the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog. Another advocacy group, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, also made similar charges.
Continue reading...Google, Safari And The Wild Web At War
Friday, February 17, 2012
The day after a Wall Street Journal report that Google and other ad networks bypassed settings on Apple‘s Safari Web browser — which doesn’t allow certain third-party cookies — reactions are mixed. While some tech bloggers are saying, basically, that the WSJ report is blowing this thing out of proportion, one persistent Google critic, the Consumer Watchdog advocacy group, has reportedly already asked the FTC to investigate. And Microsoft, which is no friend of Google’s, has also weighed in and blasted its competitor. There’s no getting around it: This looks bad for Google, which lately seems to be putting out one PR fire after another.
Continue reading...Google Caught With Hand In Safari’s Cookie Jar
Friday, February 17, 2012
Google is among a handful of companies that used a certain unusual characteristic of Apple's Safari Web browser to insert tracking cookies on users' machines, according to recent research from a Stanford grad student. The news has outraged consumer advocacy groups, though Google claims it was using known Safari functionality to provide features that signed in Google users had enabled.
Continue reading...Google Violated IPhone Users’ Privacy, Stanford Study Finds
Friday, February 17, 2012
Google’s actions also prompted Consumer Watchdog to send a letter to the FTC and demand action against Google. “Safari users with the browser set to block third-party cookies thought they were not being tracked,” John Simpson, privacy project director of Consumer Watchdog, said in the letter. “Nonetheless, because of an element invisible to the user, but designed to mimic a form, DoubleClick was able to set tracking cookies in an obvious violation of the set preference.”
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
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