Inside Google

Google Accused of US “Snooping”

Maggie Shiels

Google’s popular Street View project may have collected personal information of members of Congress, including some involved in national security issues. The claim was made by leading advocacy group, Consumer Watchdog which wants Congress to hold hearings into what data Google’s Street View possesses.

Sniffing in StreetView’s Tracks

Richard Waters

Google’s horrendous breach of privacy with its StreetView data-collection gaffe may at least have one beneficial consequence: making WiFi users think more about security. Consumer Watchdog, which has emerged as one of the main anti-Google agitators, decided to follow in the tracks of the StreetView cars – literally. It sent out its own vehicle to “sniff” the WiFi networks of certain members of the US Congress whose homes have been photographed by the Google service.

Consumer Group Says Google May Have Tapped State Secrets

Kitty Felde

To find out, Consumer Watchdog picked five members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and drove around their D.C. homes. Using software downloaded from the Internet, they determined one of the five – Democrat Jane Harman of El Segundo – was using two unsecured networks.

Consumer Watchdog Wades Into ‘SpyFi’ Fiasco

Tony Romm

COULD GOOGLE SPY-FI SNIFF OUT LAWMAKERS? Maybe, stresses Consumer Watchdog, a longtime, vocal Google critic. The group plans to make the case at a press conference on Thursday that Google’s Street View team not only intercepted unsuspecting Web users’ data transmitted over unsecured private networks, but is capable of doing the same with lawmakers’ sensitive information as well.

Google WiSpying Hit Congress; National Security Data Could Have Been Gathered

John M. Simpson

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Google’s WiSpy snooping could have sucked up and recorded communications from members of Congress, some of whom are involved in national security issues, an investigation by Consumer Watchdog’s InsideGoogle.com has found.

Press Release

Google’s travel plans prompt dominance concerns

CONTACT: Margot Williams

Google’s purchase of a leading travel software company last week has competitors worried and antitrust regulators on alert.

Google exec tries hard sell on cloud computing

Margot Williams

Google’s campaign for federal government cloud computing contracts came to Capitol Hill today with a top executive telling the House government oversight committee hearing that cloud computing is more secure than current agency-hosted information services.

Google finds itself on the defensive in China

Margot Williams

The falling out between Google and the Chinese government continues with Beijing getting rather the best of Mountain View. The results won’t make much difference to American consumers but China’s actions do show how a national government can impose its will on a far-flung networked corporation.

Google Should Answer Some Searching Questions

John M. Simpson

Google woos people with its “don’t be evil” slogan and assures us that everything it does is meant to enhance our online experience. But a new study by US advocacy group Consumer Watchdog – of which I am part – has found evidence that the internet giant’s search results are skewed to its own advantage.

Press Release

Top trustbuster says DOJ watching search industry

CONTACT: John M. Simpson

The U.S. Justice Department is paying close attention to the Internet search industry now dominated by Internet giant, Google, according to Assistant Attorney General Christine. Varney, the nation’s top trustbuster, gave the keynote speech last week to the American Antitrust Institute’s 11th Annual Convention in Washington, DC. I was there and took the opportunity to ask her what government policy should be if online search naturally tends to become a monopoly.