Inside Google

Consumer Group Lampoons Google CEO Over Privacy Issues

Jaikumar Vijayan

Consumer Watchdog, a group that has been a sharp critic of Google’s privacy practices in the past, is at it again. The Santa Monica, Calif.-based consumer advocacy group has placed an ad on a 540-square-foot digital display in New York’s Times Square to promote an animated video on YouTube that depicts Google CEO Eric Schmidt as an ice cream truck driver secretly spying on children.

Oh Snap! Consumer Watchdog kicks Google and CEO Schmidt HARD!

Staff Writers

Picture a 540-square-foot animated ad, a cartoon video mocking Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt; now picture it running twice an hour, 36 times per day, in New York’s Times Square. Consumer Watchdog has launched a huge and very public campaign against Google, highlighting its concerns over Google’s privacy policies and the need for Congress to enact a national ‘Do Not Track Me’ list. The massive cartoon digital advertisement is titled “Don’t Be Evil?” The avatar-style animation features Schmidt driving an ice cream truck and offering “free” ice cream while he secretly spies on children.

We have taken the “Do Not Track Me” fight to Times Square!

Jamie Court

Right now, running twice an hour in Times Square, there’s a 540 sq. ft. animation of Google CEO Eric Schmidt giving little kids free ice cream and secretly gathering their personal information.
We put up the ad to make the public aware of how out of touch Schmidt and Google are when it comes to our privacy rights.

Consumer Watchdog Group Goes After Google

Nick Bilton

Consumer Watchdog, a consumer group, has long been critical of Google and some of the comments that Eric Schmidt, the company’s chief executive, has made about privacy online.

Video Mocks Google’s Privacy Practices

Juliana Gruenwald

Consumer Watchdog has launched a rather unique effort in its bid to highlight its concerns over Google’s privacy policies and to push Congress to allow consumers to opt out of having their Web activities tracked by online firms.

Consumer Watchdog Takes “Do Not Track Me” Campaign to Times Square With Animated Video Targeting Google CEO’s Lack of Respect For Privacy

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog’s InsideGoogle.com has taken its online privacy campaign to New York’s Times Square, where it has purchased a 540 sq. ft. Jumbotron digital advertisement promoting an animated video satirizing Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s attitude toward consumer privacy.

Google as Pentagon contractor

Margot Williams

Google’s emergence as a major defense contractor was underscored last week when the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency tweaked its Aug. 20 announcement of a sole-source contract to the search giant for visualization services.

Watch our new Times Square video: Don’t Be Evil?

Jamie Court

Do you want Google or any other online company looking over your shoulder and tracking your every move online just so it can increase its profits? Consumers have a right to privacy. They should control how their information is gathered and what it is used for.

Watch our video, and sign our petition telling Congress to make a “Do Not Track Me” list.

Press Release

Google faces close DOJ scrutiny on ITA

CONTACT: John M. Simpson

Despite what the spinmeisters over at Google’s Public Policy Blog would have you believe, the Internet giant is facing tough scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice over its planned acquisition of ITA Software.

Stephen Colbert: 1. Google: 0.

John M. Simpson