Inside Google

Press Release

Microsoft’s Secret ‘Screw Google’ Meetings In D.C.

CONTACT: Sam Gustin

In recent months, two heavily detailed, annotated versions of
confidential Google slide presentations — one dealing with competition
issues, the other with behavioral targeting — have been published by a
Santa Monica–based group called Consumer Watchdog. The annotations are
highly critical of Google and seek to rebut the search giant’s
arguments.

How Google Can Stop Being Beaten With Privacy

Thomas Claburn

That Google can still be surprised by privacy concerns is in itself
surprising and suggests the company ought to approach privacy more
proactively. Google would benefit from doing so because greater attention to privacy
would defang its foes.

Press Release

Tech Giants Unite Against Google

CONTACT: Maggie Shiels

Three technology heavyweights are joining a coalition to fight Google’s
attempt to create what could be the world’s largest virtual library.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, the ACLU of Northern California and
the Consumer Watchdog advocacy group wrote to Google to ask the company
to "assure Americans that Google will maintain the security and freedom
that library patrons have long had: to read and learn about anything…
without worrying that someone is looking over their shoulder or could
retrace their steps".  

Press Release

Court Weighs Literary Flap Of The Century

CONTACT: Peter Kelton

The Author’s Guild has urged
members to go along with a lawsuit settlement that would allow Google
to digitize millions of books from libraries and make them available in
its Book Search service. A prominent literary and talent agency has urged just the opposite. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice
currently has the settlement under review for possible violations of
antitrust laws. A federal court has extended the deadline to Sept. 4
for authors and publishers to opt out of the proposed agreement. The court has been inundated with proposed changes to the settlement,
including one filed by a group of California professors who suggest the
settlement isn’t fair to academic writers. Several groups, including The Internet Archive and Consumer
Watchdog, have also raised concerns about the issue to the Justice
Department in what many consider the literary flap of the century.

Twitter Breach Revives Cloud Security Fears

Jaikumar Vijayan

Some interest groups are urging Los Angeles to rethink its plan to implement Google Apps.

Last month’s breach of a hosted Google Apps implementation used by
Twitter Inc. has heightened fears in some quarters that cloud computing
could pose significant security and privacy risks to users. Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group based in Santa Monica, Calif.,
said the Twitter incident raises questions about whether "Google’s
cloud as offered provides adequate safeguards." In a letter to several
Los Angeles city councilors, the group urged that city IT personnel
first test Google Apps with a small group of users, rather than
following the current plan of implementing it for 30,000 users by the
end of this year.

Press Release

FTC to Apple, Google Boards: We’re Watching

CONTACT: Renay San Miguel

The Federal Trade Commission says it will keep investigating the board memberships of Apple and Google despite Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s withdrawal from Apple’s board. Another boardroom interlock remains for the two companies: Genentech Chairman Arthur Levinson is on the board in both Mountain View and Cupertino. An E-Commerce Times request for response from Genentech regarding
Consumer Watchdog’s call for Levinson to step down from either Google’s
or Apple’s board was not received by press time. One point mentioned by Consumer Watchdog’s Simpson was Genetech’s
investment in 23andMe, the genetic-testing-for-consumers company
founded by Anne Wojcicki, wife of Google cofounder Sergey Brin.

OK, You Get Custody Of Art And Al, But They Spend Alternate Weekends With Us

John Murrell

If Apple and Google were hoping that a Schmidt-ectomy
would satisfy the FTC’s concerns over their board-level connections,
they were wrong. While the agency pronounced itself…

Press Release

Arthur Levinson To Follow Eric Schmidt’s Lead?

CONTACT: Mary Kathleen Flynn

Calls for Genentech Inc.chairman Arthur Levinson to quit either the board of Apple Inc. or the board of Google Inc. are increasing, following on the heels of Monday’s news that Google CEO Eric Schmidt has stepped down from Apple’s board. Consumer Watchdog is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group that is also
pushing the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission
to insist on guarantees of user privacy before agreeing to the 10-year
deal between Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo! Inc.

Press Release

Schmidt And Jobs Part Company

CONTACT: Maggie Shiels

John Simpson at the Consumer Watchdog, a non-profit organisation,
has applauded Mr. Schmidt’s move but at the same time criticised the
"clubby atmosphere" that prevails in Silicon Valley where everyone
seems to be on one another’s board.

Press Release

Google And Apple Not Off The Hook

CONTACT: Maggie Shiels

The resignation of Google’s Eric Schmidt as a director of Apple’s board
has failed to halt a government inquiry into possible antitrust
violations.

Mr. Schmidt stepped down because the search giant’s business increasingly competes with Apple’s. Former Genentech CEO Arthur Levinson still serves on both boards. Consumer Watchdog has called for him to step down from either Google or Apple to avoid antitrust violations.