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...Thursday, April 14, 2011
Consumer Watchdog's scorecard is full of "evil" tally marks against Google. Some claim that Microsoft is spreading FUD, but legal woes facing Google seem to disagree that Google hasn't crossed creepy line.
Continue reading...Monday, April 4, 2011
SACRAMENTO, CA – Consumer Watchdog unveiled new landmark California legislation to allow consumers in the state to stop unwanted online tracking and, in a letter, challenged Google CEO Larry Page, in his first day on the job, to support the "Do Not Track Me" plan and demonstrate Google is moving in a new direction. The bill, SB 761, was introduced by Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D- Long Beach, and sponsored by Consumer Watchdog.
Continue reading...Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Google hasn’t exactly made life easy for itself by already scanning millions of books. John M. Simpson, director of the privacy project for the non-profit California-based Consumer Watchdog group, supports the digitization of the world’s books, but says, “Google’s entire business model is to never ask permission, but to seek forgiveness if necessary. Judge Chin has ruled simply that you can’t take other people’s property and use it without asking.”
Continue reading...Wednesday, March 23, 2011
"Google has built a monopoly in search, and having a monopoly isn't necessarily illegal," said John Simpson, a frequent Google critic who has been following the company's business practices for the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog. "The question is once you are in a monopoly position, how do you use it? I think Google has repeatedly abused it, and that come out in this decision."
Continue reading...Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Decision Sends Message Google Must Ask Permission Before Using Others' Property SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog praised Federal Judge Denny Chin today for rejecting the Google Books settlement and added that Google should finally learn it cannot usurp and exploit other people’s work and information without first asking permission. The decision also raised serious antitrust issues, the nonpartisan, nonprofit group noted.
Continue reading...Tuesday, March 22, 2011
John Simpson of settlement opponent Consumer Watchdog said the ruling "should send the message to the engineers at the Googleplex that the next time they want to use someone's intellectual property, they need to ask permission."
Continue reading...Wednesday, March 16, 2011
It took a lawsuit from Rosetta Stone, the language software company, and a Congressional hearing, but Google apparently has finally been embarrassed into taking responsibility for policing some shady ads on its search engine site.
Continue reading...Friday, March 11, 2011
Consumer Watchdog asked House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., to examine Google’s close ties with the Obama administration. It also wants a broader Justice Department investigation of Google along the lines of the years-long antitrust probe of Microsoft, which culminated in a 2002 settlement with the government.
Continue reading...Friday, February 18, 2011
Consumer Watchdog, one of the more harshest critics of Google's dominance on the Internet, said it was "inappropriate" for the president to meet Schmidt in private while the search engine giant is being scrutinized by various U.S. government departments.
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Wednesday, August 3, 2011
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