Tag Archive | "lack of transparency"
Mixed Reviews For Google Dashboard
Google launched an application Thursday that allows users to see what data is stored in their accounts, but at least one group says the effort doesn't go far enough. The Google Dashboard is "designed to be simple and useful" and summarizes data for a range of products from e-mail and calendar applications to social networking and video sharing platforms. Consumer Watchdog, a group that has repeatedly thrashed Google for its advertising and privacy protection practices, said the Internet giant should let users opt out of tracking and delete information associated with their computer's IP address from Google's servers.
Continue reading...Google Offers Users A Peek At Stored Data
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Google, which has been criticized frequently for amassing large amounts of data about people, is giving users an easy way to find out what information it stores in their accounts. John Simpson, of Consumer Watchdog, a frequent critic of Google, said Dashboard gave users the appearance of control over privacy but did not really prevent Google from tracking users across the Web. “What the Dashboard does is list all the information linked directly to your name, but what it doesn’t do is let you know and control the data directly tied to your computer’s IP address, which is Google’s black box and data mine, Mr. Simpson said in a press release. “Google isn’t truly protecting privacy until it lets you control that information.”
Continue reading...Google Creates Privacy Dashboard
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Google, which has had a bullseye on its back when it comes to Internet privacy, on Thursday launched a Web site that shows people what data Gmail, Google Calendar and more than a dozen other Google products store about them. John Simpson of consumer-advocacy organization Consumer Watchdog said the dashboard focuses on data that people have consciously shared with Google while they are logged into various Google accounts, but ignores all the data that Google collects and ties to a user’s computer address and through other software, known as cookies. “The dashboard is really the appearance of control without giving users the ability to see how Google tracks them all over the place,” he said.
Continue reading...Google Dashboard Is Small Step For User Control, Consumer Watchdog Says
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Group Calls for 'Make-Me-Anonymous' Button On Home Page SANTA MONICA, CA -- The new Google Dashboard touted by the Internet giant as offering users “transparency, choice and control” of user data stored by the company doesn’t give consumers adequate control over protecting their information from Google’s marketing machine, Consumer Watchdog said today. Consumer Watchdog applauded the company for giving consumers a single place to go to manage data, but said Google needed to give consumers the ability to stop being tracked by the company and to delete information associated with their computer’s IP address from the Google servers.
Continue reading...As Deadline Passes, NWU, Consumer Watchdog Join Google Books Objectors
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The National Writers Union and Consumer Watchdog were among those to file briefs urging rejection as the Google Book Search Settlement deadline officially passed this morning. Although the final lineup of objectors won’t be known until all the last-minute briefs have been processed by the court, the groups join DC Comics, The American Society of Journalists and Authors, a coalition of some 58 authors and the Open Book Alliance (which includes Google competitors Microsoft and Amazon.com) in urging the court to reject the proposed settlement.
Continue reading...Privacy Group Coalition Urges Data Regulation
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Ten consumer and privacy groups are urging Congress to limit the way online information can be used for advertising and profiling. A coalition of ten consumer and privacy groups on Tuesday urged Congress to draft new legislation to preserve consumer privacy online by limiting behavioral advertising and establishing new ground rules for information collection and use.
Continue reading...Curbs Urged For Behavioral Ads
Monday, August 31, 2009
A powerful alliance of privacy and consumer groups have likened behavioral advertising to "being followed by an invisible stalker." "An individual’s data belongs to them and before these companies track you all over the internet, they need to be transparent about what they are doing and how they intend to use that information," said John M. Simpson, consumer advocate with Consumer Watchdog.
Continue reading...FTC to Apple, Google Boards: We’re Watching
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
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.
Continue reading...Microsoft, Yahoo Finally Sign Search Deal
Thursday, July 30, 2009
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.
Continue reading...Experts: Make the (Transparent) Case for Behavioral Advertising
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
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.
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Thursday, November 5, 2009
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