Inside Google

Watchdog Group Asks Google To Create Personal Data “Opt-Out”

Chris Kanaracus

A Consumer Group Has Asked Google To Let Users Opt-Out Of Leaving Personal Data On The Search Vendor’s Systems.

The nonprofit group Consumer Watchdog asked on Friday that Google give users of its search engine the ability to
"opt out" of leaving personal data, such as IP addresses, on Google’s servers.

Yahoo Sets New Consumer Data Retention Policy

Mary Elizabeth Hurn

This week Yahoo released a new policy on data retention. Under the policy, the number two search engine will anonymize its users log data within 90 days. Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit consumer group, immediately called on
Google to match Yahoo’s policy. Google currently has a policy of
retaining data for nine months. Microsoft has an 18-month policy.

Consumer Group Calls On Google To Offer Zero Personal Data Retention Policy

John M. Simpson

Seeks Meeting With Chairman Eric Schmidt About Privacy Concerns

Santa Monica, CA — Google should offer users of its search engine
the ability to leave no personal data on the Internet giant’s servers, the nonpartisan, nonprofit Consumer Watchdog said today and asked for a
meeting with Google’s chairman to discuss the group’s privacy concerns.

Microsoft: Zero Data Retention Not Possible To Keep Search Engines Viable

Clint Boulton

John Simpson, a privacy advocate for the non-profit consumer rights
group Consumer Watchdog, said no less than a zero retention policy will
suffice, arguing that since most users of Google or Yahoo return daily
they are constantly providing a new stream of personal data. His group
wants users to have the option to control their data and browse
anonymously.

Consumer Group Calls on Google To Match Yahoo!’s Data Retention Policy, Offer Additional Privacy Guarantee; Warns That Personal Data Remains on Search Companies’ Servers

John M. Simpson

Santa Monica, CA — Internet giant Google must match new privacy
measures announced by search rival Yahoo!, Consumer Watchdog said
today, and called on both companies to enact stronger protections to
truly guarantee users’ privacy. The nonprofit, nonpartisan consumer
group warned the public that even with shorter data retention times,
identifiable personal data remains on the search companies’ servers
because each point of contact renews the data retention window.

Search Engines Beef Up Privacy Policies

Joseph Tartakoff

But Some Say Not Enough Data Are Purged 
John Simpson, a consumer advocate with Consumer Watchdog, said in a statement, "If data is not completely anonymous, this is nothing more than PR." Simpson’s consumer group called for major search engines to match the policy of IXQuick, a Danish search engine that deletes all personal data after 48 hours.

Microsoft trumps Google on privacy

John M. Simpson

Google’s arch-rival, Mircrosoft, has just announced it will anonymize all private data it collects during online searches after six months if its competitors do the same thing.

As explained by …

Sometimes Google listens

John Simpson

Don’t be shy about telling Google what you think of the company’s activities.  Sometimes the internet giant listens to what its users say.

A case in point:…

Consumer Watchdog: Google Should Increase Privacy Efforts

Mike Sunnucks

Consumer Watchdog wants Google Inc. to implement more privacy protections in its e-mail and search systems as it may be looking at e-mails coming and going from GMail accounts.

Consumer Watchdog: Google Made First Political Contributions

Staff Writers

California campaign disclosures show that Google, which has had issues from privacy advocates and government regulators, made what appears to be the first political contributions to elected officials in the company’s history.