Tag Archive | "lack of transparency"
Google Shells Out $500M to DoJ Over Shady Drug Ads
Google has agreed to a US$500 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice for allowing online Canadian pharmacies to place ads through its AdWords program targeting consumers in the United States.
Continue reading...Consumer Watchdog Praises Justice Department For Forcing Google’s $500 Million Forfeiture Over Illegal Ads; Settlement Represents Only Tip Of Iceberg, Group Says
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
SANTA MONICA, CA -- Consumer Watchdog praised the U.S. Justice Department today for forcing Google to forfeit $500 million because it allowed illegal drug ads through its AdWords program, but said the problem of predatory and deceptive advertising on the Internet giant's services continues. Further enforcement action by regulators is needed, the group said.
Continue reading...Does Google-Motorola Pose Anti-Competitive Danger?
Monday, August 15, 2011
What if Google, the master of the cloud computing universe and the Internet's information monopolist, were to buy Intel, Apple, or IBM? Would we want the company that controls information outside of our computers all along the Internet to also have control over a principal computer hardware maker and its patents?
Continue reading...Web Tracking Has Become A Privacy Time Bomb
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Google has been widely known to scan the contents of Gmail messages to deliver targeted text ads. While some don't mind, others believe scanning e-mail to deliver more relevant ads is an invasion of privacy. John Simpson, spokesman for the non-profit advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, isn't convinced the search giant will necessarily stop there. "Part of the problem is that Google collects and stores tremendous amounts of data about its users," Simpson says. "The only assurance we have about what Google's intentions are boils down to 'Trust us.'"
Continue reading...Stanford Study Shows Opting Out Of Web Tracking Not So Easy
Friday, July 22, 2011
The study has prompted a privacy group, Consumer Watchdog, to ask the FTC to investigate whether eight online advertising companies engaged in deceptive trade practices by saying they would delete "tracking cookies" but actually left them in place.
Continue reading...Google And Facebook Spent Record Amounts On Lobbying In Q2 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
It’s no secret that former CEO and current Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt has been spending more time in the Beltway, helping with government relations. In fact, Schmidt is actually going to testify before the Senate on possible Google antitrust issues. Because of his increased presence in D.C., public interest organization Consumer Watchdog is actually calling for Schmidt’s activities in Washington D.C. to be scrutinized to see if he needs to register formally as a lobbyist.
Continue reading...Google and Facebook Lobbying Expenditures Soar to Records; Consumer Watchdog Asks If Eric Schmidt Should Register As A Lobbyist
Thursday, July 21, 2011
SANTA MONICA, CA -- Google and Facebook pumped record amounts into their lobbying efforts during the second quarter, according to just filed disclosure reports. Google's spending soared to $2.06 million, a 54 percent increase from the same period a year ago. Facebook spent $320,000 -- nearly as much as its total lobbying expenses for all of last year.
Continue reading...Google and Facebook Splurge on Lobbying in Q2
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Some of the issues Google focused on include competition in online advertising, online privacy and security, free trade, censorship, the H.R. 399 bill and trademark issues. Google’s presence in the U.S. government is spurring some policy watchers, like Consumer Watchdog to call for Eric Schmidt to register as a lobbyist. “Schmidt could well have reached the threshold requiring registration as a lobbyist; he is clearly trying to influence policy,” said John M. Simpson, Director of the nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest group’s Privacy Project. “It certainly should be checked out.”
Continue reading...Mr. Schmidt Goes To Washington: Google Lobbying Hits New High
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Google’s increasing influence in Washington is setting off alarm bells for some policy watchers. California-based public interest group Consumer Watchdog is calling for Google chairman Eric Schmidt to register formally as a lobbyist, since he personally is spending increasing amounts of time working in government relations. “Schmidt could well have reached the threshold requiring registration as a lobbyist; he is clearly trying to influence policy,” said Consumer Watchdog director John Simpson in a press release issued Thursday. “It certainly should be checked out.”
Continue reading...The Cost of Lost Privacy: How Google and Datamining Drive Economic Inequality in Our Nation
Friday, July 15, 2011
Why has economic inequality increased so radically in the United States over the last generation? General explanations range from globalization to the decline in trade unions to rising returns to education — and therefore the loss of income to the less educated. These all no doubt play a role but in an age of information, […]
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Wednesday, August 24, 2011
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