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Jamie Court: Browser Beater
Consumer Watchdog has dogged Google since 2008 on a number of issues. Particularly galling to Court is Google’s massive collection of Internet users’ information obtained through unencrypted Wi-Fi networks, which he says is a violation of wiretapping laws.
Continue reading...Google Deflects PR Firm’s Attack of Gmail Privacy
10. May 2011
“Much of Google’s privacy problems stem from the company’s culture,” says John Simpson, spokesman for the non-profit Consumer Watchdog. “They hire like-minded engineers who push the creepy line, then apologize when they get caught with their fingers in the cookie jar.”
Continue reading...Consumer Groups Welcome ‘Do Not Track’ Privacy Push
10. May 2011
Jamie Court of Consumer Watchdog noted that Mozilla, Microsoft and Apple are incorporating a mechanism into their Web browsers to send a “Do Not Track” message but there is currently no legal requirement that a website honor the request.
Continue reading...Internet Privacy Bills Are Planned
7. May 2011
The bills announced Friday give new impetus to allowing consumers to request they not be tracked, said John Simpson of Consumer Watchdog. “Demand for ‘do not track’ protection is swelling, and that makes sense,” he said. “This is an idea whose time has come, and I believe people will finally get the protection they are demanding.”
Continue reading...Do-Not-Track Laws Gain US Momentum
6. May 2011
The chairman of the powerful US senate commerce committee plans to introduce a bill [1] next week that will require companies to give online shoppers the opportunity to opt out of online tracking – and enforcement powers to the Federal Trade Commission.
Continue reading...Online Privacy Concerns Fuel Drive For ‘Do-Not-Track’ Legislation
6. May 2011
“Demand for do-not-track protection is swelling and that makes sense,” said John Simpson, spokesman for the group Consumer Watchdog. “This is an idea whose time has come, and I believe people will finally get the protection they are demanding. Senator Rockefeller should be commended for pushing the issue.”
Continue reading...California’s Do Not Track Law Takes a Step Forward
5. May 2011
Still, it’s the first time such a bill has made it out of committee, and that’s a big deal, according to John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project. “This is the first time that a ‘do not track’ bill has actually had a hearing and been debated and then voted forward in the legislative process,” he said.
Continue reading...California Bill Clears Committee After Nation’s First Legislative Hearing on Do-Not-Track
5. May 2011
“A Do Not Track mechanism would give consumers better control of their information and help restore their confidence in the internet,” Jamie Court, Consumer Watchdog’s president, said in a written statement after the committee action. “That’s a win-win for consumers and business.”
Continue reading...Viewpoints: ‘Do Not Track’ Would Protect Online Privacy
5. May 2011
Why should iPhone and Android users have to worry about being spied on by their smart phones? Shouldn’t we be able to say no to some of California’s biggest companies, Google and Facebook, when they violate our privacy daily by tracking us online and collecting massive amounts of our private information without our explicit consent?
Continue reading...California Do-Not-Track Web Privacy Law Moves Forward
4. May 2011
Consumer Watchdog said in its statement that the problem with do-not-track at the browser level is that there’s no requirement on the web site to honor the do-not-track request.
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18. May 2011