Inside Google

Press Release

You can read ‘CQ Researcher’ in-depth report on Google’s dominance

CONTACT: John M. Simpson

The Prestigious CQ Researcher has recently tackled the issue of Google’s dominance, asking the question: “Is the online-search giant too powerful?” See below for information about how you can read the entire online version of this important study. In a half-page opinion piece in the 24-page report, I square off with Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt […]

Criminal Probe Into Online Mortgage Scams Widens

Michael Liedtke

Consumer Watchdog, a group that published a study about mortgage ad scams nine months ago, is calling for criminal charges and financial penalties against the major search engines in the current investigation. “These Internet company executives were active enablers of fraud against vulnerable homeowners,” said John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s privacy project. “They cannot be allowed to benefit from these ill-gotten gains.”

Bing, Yahoo Agree to Remove Mortgage Ads

Josh Smith

Consumer Watchdog, a group that frequently criticizes Google, wasted no time on Monday calling for executives at Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo to be charged with crimes for allowing the ads to go up in the first place.

Feds Target Mortgage Ad Scams On Bing, Yahoo

Jay Greene

“Clearly Microsoft and Yahoo have been turning a blind eye to these scammers,” said John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project. “Simply put, too many Internet companies including Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo–under the guise of an open Internet–allow and even encourage scam ads from which they make millions of dollars.”

Consumer Watchdog Calls For Criminal Charges Against Internet Executives As Feds Shut Down Scam Ads On Bing and Yahoo! After Earlier Action Focusing On Google

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA CA – Consumer Watchdog today said executives of leading Internet companies Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! should face criminal charges for their roles in allowing mortgage modification ad scammers to advertise on their sites.

Google Profited From Illegal Mortgage Ads

Emma Woollacott

“Google should never have published these ads, but its executives turned a blind eye to these fraudsters for far too long because of the substantial revenue such advertising generates,” says John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project. “The company cannot be allowed to benefit from these ill-gotten gains. Google must donate the money to aid homeowners who were victimized because of its callous quest for profits.”

Feds Shut Down Mortgage Scammers Who Used Google Ads

Jay Greene

One Google critic, the public advocacy firm, Consumer Watchdog, wants Google held accountable. It put out a report in February blasting Google for taking these fraudulent ads. They suggest that Google be fined in order to help compensate the victims of these scams.

Consumer Watchdog Calls On Google To Donate Tainted Revenue From Deceptive Online Ads It Published As Feds Shut Down 85 Mortgage Modification Scammers

John M. Simpson

SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today called on Google to donate the tainted revenue it received from deceptive ads preying on vulnerable homeowners to non-profit groups that help consumers with credit problems, including homeowners seeking to avoid foreclosure. The mortgage modification scams were first revealed in a Consumer Watchdog report last February.

Google Dabbles in Dream Tech in Hush-Hush X Lab

Richard Adhikari

Equipping home appliances with always-on Internet connectivity “would come with considerable intrusions into people’s privacy,” John M. Simpson, director, Consumer Watchdog Privacy Project, told TechNewsWorld.

Pushing for online privacy on the East and West Coasts

John M. Simpson

The week began for me at meetings in the heart of geekdom in Silicon Valley and concluded with consumer and privacy advocates meeting in New York City.  The two sessions are more related than you might first think. The New York meetings, convened by the Consumer Federation of America, were an off-the-record session for consumer […]