Inside Google

Press Release

Microsoft, Yahoo Finally Sign Search Deal

CONTACT: James Temple

Microsoft and Yahoo clearly are bracing for regulatory scrutiny. The news release emphasized that the two companies will "continue to compete vigorously" in other areas, including e-mail, instant messaging and display advertising. It also stressed that the agreement restricts the sharing of search and other data.
Consumer Watchdog in Washington, D.C., called on the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to probe the deal for potential antitrust violations and privacy concerns.

Press Release

Microsoft-Yahoo! Pact Hit With Anti-Trust Question

CONTACT: Gavin Clarke

Three-Into-Two Doesn’t Wash

Consumer Watchdog noted the competitive search and advertising
landscape will deteriorate – not improve – if the result is two
enterprises that exploit users’ data at the expense of their privacy
rights. John Simpson, an advocate with the group, said the FTC and DoJ must
insist users retain control of their data, how it’s used, and where its
stored. "Users must have control of their data – whether it is collected and
how it is used. Guarantees of that control must be in place before this
deal is approved. Justice and the FTC can – and must – insist on this,"
he said in a statement.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Calls On Feds To Get User Privacy And Antitrust Guarantees In Proposed Microsoft-Yahoo! Deal

CONTACT: John M. Simpson 310-392-0522 ext. 317 or cell 310-292-1902

Santa Monica CA — The proposed 10-year partnership on Internet search
and search advertising between Microsoft and Yahoo! must be closely
scrutinized by the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department
to ensure there are no antitrust violations and that user privacy is
guaranteed, Consumer Watchdog said today.

Experts: Make the (Transparent) Case for Behavioral Advertising

Susan Hall

When the online advertising industry recently issued seven principles to protect consumer privacy, you could see the lines being drawn. John Simpson, consumer advocate for California-based nonprofit Consumer
Watchdog, doesn’t believe this industry will be able to regulate
itself. He believes opting in should be consumers’ choice, not the current
model where they have to work to opt out of having their Web-surfing
habits monitored. He says that if advertisers clearly explain their
programs and how that benefits customers, those users are likely to be
willing to be part of it.

Twitter Breach Revives Security Issues With Cloud Computing

Jaikumar Vijayan

Concerns are the same as with any outsourcing, remote data access, IT managers say.

Consumer Watchdog group said the Twitter incident raises the question
of whether "Google’s cloud as offered provides adequate safeguards."
Moving medical and health-related records, and information on domestic
and sexual assault and substance abuse to Google raises concerns over
how such sensitive data will be protected, the group wrote in a letter
addressed to City Council members. "Before jumping into the Google deal, the City Council needs to insist
on appropriate guarantees — for instance substantial financial
penalties in the event of any security breach," John Simpson, a
consumer advocate for the group wrote.

Press Release

Warning issued on Google Books privacy threat

CONTACT: John M. Simpson

Much of the focus on the proposed Google Books settlement has been on antitrust concerns….

L.A. delays consideration of Google email plan

John M. Simpson

Consideration of a proposal to move the City of Los Angles’ email and other computer applications to a system run by…

L.A. needs assurances before moving to Google’s ‘cloud’

John M. Simpson

Frustrated by an out-of-date email system that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s spokesman Matt Szabo calls "Pac-Man-era technology" the City of Los Angeles is considering entrusting…

Google Is Faulted On Privacy

Holly Sanders Ware

A group critical of Google’s privacy practices got a jump on the search giant yesterday. Consumer Watchdog, which accuses Google of spying on users, sent out an
alert early yesterday claiming it had obtained a "confidential" and
"proprietary" document that the company had intended for lawmakers.

Google snips ‘confidential’ label from lobbying doc after criticism

Judy Dugan

Google probably thought it was being subtle and sly. Just after
Consumer Watchdog obtained and released Google’s new "confidential"
lobbying document, Google posted the same document, stripped of its "confidential" and "proprietary" labels, as an example of its public transparency.