Noting (as I did on Monday) that Schmidt had basically recanted his contrite testimony before Congress in basically calling the government slow and stupid in a Washington Post interview, Consumer Watchdog said in a letter to Senate chairman Herb Kohl that Schmidt should be recalled to testify by the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee...
Continue reading...Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Washington, DC – Consumer Watchdog today took Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt to task today over remarks made to The Washington Post in which he claimed Google should not be the subject of antitrust review because its services are "free" and made derogatory remarks about government officials being slow, backward and greedy.
Continue reading...Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Consumer Watchdog says that privacy and Google's ability to pry into the lives of anyone is a growing concern among the public. Colleague Jay Greene wrote that this week the group's primary concern is that Google is gathering a huge trove of personal information, much of it without consumers' knowledge and consumers are powerless to stop it.
Continue reading...Wednesday, September 21, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC – Consumer Watchdog today told a Senate committee that Google’s reach is so pervasive on the Internet that consumers cannot avoid its massive data collection apparatus. The public interest group said one possible remedy is breaking up the Internet giant, which exercises monopoly power over search and consumer data. Do Not Track regulations are necessary to protect consumers from the Internet giant’s pervasive data collection.
Continue reading...Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Consumer Watchdog plans to deploy a group of mimes wearing white track suits emblazoned with Google's "Don't Be Evil" motto Wednesday, just as Google Chairman Eric Schmidt is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The mimes will mercilessly track senators and their staffers as they move through the Dirksen Senate office building..
Continue reading...Monday, September 19, 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumer Watchdog’s latest online animated video debuted today, satirizing Google CEO Larry Page and Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt to dramatize Google’s information monopoly and make the case for Do Not Track Legislation. The video, “Supercharge,” exposes actual quotes by the executives and shows the two Google executives stalking a United States Senator through the signal in his Android mobile phone.
Continue reading...Sunday, September 18, 2011
While there are plenty of groups worried about Internet privacy, few have gone to the lengths of Consumer Watchdog, which relishes its role as a thorn in Google's side. In addition to the videos, the group has sponsored conferences, written editorials, and taken out ads, all aimed at focusing a spotlight on Google's conduct. Its primary concern is that Google is gathering a huge trove of personal information, much of it without consumers' knowledge. Worse still, according to the group, is that consumers are powerless to stop it. Consumer Watchdog's Court refers to the data that Google is able to amass as "an information monopoly."
Continue reading...Thursday, September 1, 2011
John Simpson, spokesman for the non-profit Consumer Watchdog advocacy group says "the Europeans have exactly the right approach. They are asking that a consumer must be given the right to opt in before a cookie is placed." Simpson says the IAB's icon alert mechanism is "mostly window dressing." He says if European regulators do end up imposing a strict opt-in rule across Europe, Google, Facebook and the other data aggregators and ad networks will be forced to comply to do business in Europe.
Continue reading...Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Group Cites DOJ Investigation That Found He Condoned Illegal Activity SANTA MONICA, CA – Citing recent revelations that Google CEO Larry Page condoned Google’s criminal violation of laws prohibiting the importation of drugs to U.S. consumers by Canadian pharmacies, Consumer Watchdog called on the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee to require him to testify at its planned hearing in September.
Continue reading...Monday, August 29, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC -- Consumer Watchdog said that the self-regulatory privacy program created by online advertisers and scheduled to take effect for some today fails to protect consumers from companies that track their behavior online. Legislation enacting a “Do Not Track Me” option is necessary to ensure consumers have an easy to use, effective and universal choice to avoid tracking, said Consumer Watchdog.
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Friday, October 7, 2011
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