Press Release
Charge Internet Giant Violated “Buzz Consent Agreement” and FTC Act
SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission charging that Google violated the law and an earlier consent agreement when it forced a change in its privacy policy on users in a highly deceptive manner, without meaningful notice and consent.
Press Release
SANTA MONICA, CA – Google’s new name for its robot car division, “Waymo,” fits, Consumer Watchdog said today, because it reminds us that we must know “way more” about robot cars and the serious policy issues they raise before self-driving cars can be safely deployed.
Press Release
Calls For Consumer Privacy Protections To Be Extended To Cover All Internet Companies
SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today welcomed the Federal Communications Commission’s new broadband privacy rules enacted on a 3-to-2 vote as a major step toward protecting consumers’ online privacy, but added it is now necessary to extend protections to cover the rest of the Internet.
Press Release
SANTA MONICA, CA – Google increased its 2016 third-quarter federal lobbying spending 4.2 percent to $3.81 million from $3.65 million in the comparable 2015 period, but fell to second place in lobbying expenditures among 16 technology and communications companies tracked by Consumer Watchdog.
Press Release
WASHINGTON — Google trimmed its spending on federal lobbying in the second quarter of 2016 by 8.2 percent from the year before to $4.24 million, according to disclosure forms just filed with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, but still significantly outspent other tech and communications giants.
Press Release
Santa Monica, CA — A backroom deal by the federal agency responsible for auto safety to allow automakers to avoid following federal safety rules is unlawful and will lead to more deaths and injuries, three top consumer advocates said today. They urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to grant the formal petition the advocates filed in January to require automakers to make advanced safety technologies standard equipment on all cars and light trucks.
Press Release
SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today called on Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind to “slam the revolving door” with the robot car industry shut with a written commitment that they will not work as an employee or consultant to developers of self-driving autonomous vehicles for at least seven years after leaving their respective positions.
Press Release
STANFORD, CA – Consumer Watchdog today called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require a steering wheel, brake and accelerator so a human driver can take control of a self-driving robot car when safety demands it in the guidelines it is developing on automated vehicle technology.
Press Release
SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today urged the Federal Trade Commission to file antitrust charges against Alphabet Inc.’s Google for using its monopoly power over the Android operating system to stifle competition and unfairly drive consumers to its own services.
Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the wake of a Google self-driving car crashing into a bus, a coalition of consumer groups called on the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration “to commit to maximum transparency and public involvement” as they develop policy and safety standards covering autonomous self-driving vehicles.
