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Press Release
Critics Of Google Online-Books Deal Seek Delay
CONTACT: Diane Bartz
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Critics of Google’s deal with an authors’ group to put millions of books online have asked for a delay in a hearing set to consider the settlement in a court filing on Thursday. A long list of critics of the deal, including Yahoo, Amazon, Microsoft, the National Writers Union, Consumer Watchdog and singer Arlo Guthrie, argued on Thursday that the original class action settlement was long and complex and any changes would only add to its complexity
Continue reading...Google Using ‘Double Talk’ On Cloud Security, Says L.A. Consumer Group
15. October 2009
A consumer advocacy group that is opposed to a plan by the city of Los Angeles to adopt Google’s hosted e-mail and office applications is accusing the company of a double standard on security issues. In a letter to Bernard Parks, chairman of the Los Angeles City
Council’s Budget and Finance Committee, Consumer Watchdog claimed that
Google was being hypocritical in marketing Google Apps to the city.
Microsoft’s Sidekick Debacle Brings Much-Hyped ‘Cloud’ Back To Earth
14. October 2009
In a letter last week to City Councilman Bernard C. Parks, John Simpson
of advocacy group Consumer Watchdog noted the stark language Google
uses to describe the many things that could go wrong with its
cloud-based systems.
Press Release
Apple Board Member Resigns His Position As A Google Director
CONTACT: Dan Raywood
13. October 2009
Following
the resignation of Google chief executive Eric Schmidt from the Apple
board in August, Levinson has resigned his director position. Mr. Levinson, who is also chairman of biotech company Genentech, had been a Google board member since April 2004. Former
US vice-president, Al Gore, is the last remaining link between the two
companies as he serves on the board of Apple and is an adviser to
Google. John M. Simpson, consumer advocate with Consumer Watchdog, said: “We’re pleased that Arthur Levinson finally realised that serving on both
Google’s and Apple’s boards were untenable. It took too long, but he
finally did the right thing.
Press Release
Genentech Chairman Resigns From Google Board
CONTACT: Staff Writers
12. October 2009
the board of directors of Google amid a probe by US authorities into
his membership of the boards of both the Internet giant and Apple. Advocacy group Consumer Watchdog also welcomed Levinson’s resignation, saying he had "acted correctly" in stepping down. "We’re
pleased that Arthur Levinson finally realized that serving on both
Google’s and Apple’s boards was untenable," said John Simpson of
Consumer Watchdog. "It took too long, but he finally did the right
thing."
Internet Users Oppose Being Tracked, Study Says
30. September 2009
Backer of Google Critic Supports Research Showing Users Don’t Want Tailored Ads
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Roughly two-thirds of Americans oppose being
tracked on the Internet in exchange for receiving tailored advertising,
according to a new study by scholars from the University of
Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkeley.
Press Release
US Judge Postpones Googlebooks Hearing
CONTACT: Cade Metz
25. September 2009
$125 Million Pact ‘Raises Significant Issues’
"Clearly, voices such as ours had an impact on Judge Chin," says John
Simpson, of the consumer watchdog known as Consumer Watchdog, one of
the many organizations opposed to the deal. "There was no way the
proposed settlement could go forward. Consumer Watchdog is pleased
there will be a status hearing on the case on Oct. 7." Like the Open Book Alliance – a group that includes the Internet
Archive, Microsoft, and Amazon – Consumer Watchdog advocates solving
the ebook copyright issue with federal legislation. "We believe that will demonstrate that the proper place to solve many
of the case’s thorniest problems, such as that of orphan books, is in
Congress," Simpson says. "Consumer Watchdog urges Congress to act
expeditiously because it is important to build digital libraries."
Press Release
Judge Delays Google Books Hearing
CONTACT: Maggie Shiels
25. September 2009
A New York judge has put Google’s vision of creating the world’s biggest digital library on hold.
Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo have filed objections to
the settlement with the court, along with the French and German
governments, privacy advocates and consumer watchdog groups. "Clearly voices such as ours had an impact on Judge
Chin," wrote consumer watchdog advocate John Simpson in an email to BBC
News. "There was no way the proposed settlement could go
forward. We believe that the proper place to solve many of the case’s
thorniest problems, such as that of orphan books, is in Congress
because it is important to build digital libraries."
Press Release
Fairness Hearing Postponed For Google Books Deal
CONTACT: Larry Neumeister
24. September 2009
John
M. Simpson, a consumer advocate with Consumer Watchdog who testified
about the deal before the House Judiciary Committee, said any agreement
should also involve input from Congress. He said the agreement as it now stands would have given Google a monopoly over the digitizing of books. "The judge put his fingers exactly on the issues in the case," Simpson said.
Press Release
Authors, Publishers Ask Judge to Postpone Google Book Search Hearing
CONTACT: Clint Boulton
23. September 2009
The Author’s Guild and Association of American Publishers in the Google Book Search settlement asked District Court Judge Denny Chin to postpone his fairness hearing on the deal so they can work with Google and the Department of Justice on amending the agreement. Consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog further suggested that
important issues affecting copyright law should not be negotiated
behind closed doors.
22. October 2009