Inside Google

Protect your privacy on Google: Tips from Computerworld

Margot Williams

A great “smart paranoid’s guide to using Google” at Computerworld today takes you step by step through “down-and-dirty details on how to maintain your privacy while using Google’s myriad services.” It’s chock full of precautions, security tips and instructions on how to disengage from Google collections of  information about you. The guide takes you from […]

Google needs to come clean on WiSpy

John M. Simpson

As the WiSpy scandal unfolded last week CEO Eric Schmidt, speaking in England, tried to calm the furor by claiming “no harm, no foul.” This week it’s clear that despite the fondest hopes of those in the Googleplex, the firestorm won’t go away.

Google shows the way on search engine encryption; others must follow

John M. Simpson

Google has announced that it is now offering privacy-friendly SSL encryption on its search engine, becoming the first major company to offer the protection. The company deserves credit and others who want to do more than pay lip service to privacy should immediately follow Google’s lead.

Latest Facebook privacy intrusion touches Google

John M. Simpson

In the latest revelation in a seemingly never ending stream of privacy breaches by online companies, we now know that Facebook and MySpace have been sending consumers’ personal information to advertisers despite promises that they don’t share such data without consent.

Outrage continues to grow over Google “WiSpy” effort

John M. Simpson

Outrage continues to rise over Google’s “WiSpy” efforts that saw its Street View cars snoop on private WiFi networks as they roamed the streets of 30 countries over the last three years. Europeans contemplated criminal charges; U.S. lawmakers asked the Federal Trade Commission what it’s doing and a class action suit was filed in Oregon.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog’s Jamie Court and John M. Simpson introduce Inside Google

CONTACT: John M. Simpson

Germans incensed by Google’s WiFi snooping on personal data; activity called illegal

Margot Williams

Germany’s Consumer Affairs Minister Ilse Aigner blasted Google over the weekend for its “accidental” collection of personal data by Street View cars driving by the homes of citizens in Germany (and the U.S. and other countries all around the world).

Google change shuts Scroogle, but alternative search engine returns

John M. Simpson

Consumers worried about the data Google amasses about them as they use the Internet giant’s search engine have used a service called Scroogle.org. This week the nonprofit service was abruptly disrupted, prompting questions about whether Google deliberately targeted the operation.

Google’s Schmidt passes the buck on privacy

Margot Williams

With the classic timing of those who want to downplay bad news, Google responded late Friday afternoon to a letter of complaint issued by ten countries last month about the misfired rollout of the Google Buzz social networking application when Google exposed Gmail users’ personal e-mail contacts to the online world without user consent.

We’re number one… or not. The vagaries of Google’s search engine.

John M. Simpson

As we ready Inside Google, now in “Beta” mode, for its formal launch I’ve been checking various search engines to see where the site ranks. Today Google put me at number one.