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U.S. Lawmakers Frustrated By Lack Of Answers About Google Street View Wi-spying
In January, Consumer Watchdog released a report that detailed the range of the federal government’s current contracts with Google. The amount of cash the group found is only $40 million, a tiny amount compared to Google’s annual revenue of almost $30 billion. But the contracts give the company a competitive edge in key emerging markets, as well as highlight the deepening relationship between Google and the Obama administration — and the conflicts of interest that could potentially arise.
Continue reading...Tech’s Star CEOs Could Be Drag On Obama
28. June 2011
Jamie Court, who heads Consumer Watchdog, said it’s clear the Silicon Valley’s tech executives have cultivated a “hoodie and Converse” profile to mask what he says is a traditional corporate adherence to bottom-line profit concerns.
Continue reading...Google Defends Practices As FTC Launches Antitrust Probe
24. June 2011
Google confirmed Friday that the Federal Trade Commission has launched an antitrust investigation of the company, but posted an elaborate defense of its business practices. “Yesterday, we received formal notification from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that it has begun a review of our business,” Google said in a blog post. “We respect the FTC’s […]
Continue reading...Consumer Group Says White House Is Too Friendly With Google
24. June 2011
Frequent Google critic Consumer Watchdog wrote to the White House Counsel on Friday arguing that President Obama and other administration officials must distance themselves from Google during pending federal investigations of the search giant.
Continue reading...Group Slams White House Google Links
24. June 2011
A consumer group says the White House must distance itself from Google while the company is the subject of a federal antitrust investigation.
Continue reading...ENGINE KNOCK – Feds launch antitrust probe into Google’s market influence
24. June 2011
Google “pretty clearly is using its dominant position to its own advantage,” said John Simpson, spokesman for Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit advocacy organization that has called for an investigation into Google’s practices for the past two years.
Continue reading...W.H. Warned To Distance From Google
24. June 2011
Consumer Watchdog is telling the White House that its cozy relationship with Google is inappropriate, given ongoing reviews by both the FTC and the Department of Justice.
Continue reading...Google’s Top Execs Refuse To Testify At Senate Hearing
24. June 2011
Consumer Watchdog has been clamoring for Schmidt’s sworn testimony before Congress for over a year, ever since Germany caught Google harvesting private Wi-Fi data from unsecured Wi-Fi networks in homes and businesses across the globe. Google had dispatched fleets of specially equipped cars through city streets in 30-plus nations to gather this data.
Continue reading...Google’s Dominance Draws New Scrutiny From Regulators
24. June 2011
“They’re somewhat disingenuous when they say we’re trying to provide a neutral search and all we care about is our users,” said John Simpson at Consumer Watchdog. “What they really care about is selling their users to advertisers. That’s how they make their money.”
Continue reading...Critics Cheer Possible Google Antitrust Probe
23. June 2011
The American Consumer Institute and Consumer Watchdog, a frequent Google critic, also applauded a potential antitrust probe of Google. “The time for an antitrust probe is long past due, and I’m optimistic the FTC investigation will lead to necessary remedies that will ensure competition in the market,” Consumer Watchdog’s John Simpson said.
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5. July 2011