“It’s ironic it’s (+1) coming out on the same day” as the F.T.C. settlement, said John M. Simpson, an advocate at Consumer Watchdog, a critic of Google. “It seems to me there are some of the same kinds of issues that happened with Buzz. The key is how transparent and open it is about what’s going to be shared and how you share it.”
Continue reading...Wednesday, March 30, 2011
John M. Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project, said the FTC should have gone further and actually fined the search giant. “Nothing will completely stop Google from invading users’ privacy until it gets hit where it hurts, its bank accounts,” he said in a statement.
Continue reading...Wednesday, March 30, 2011
John Simpson of Consumer Watchdog welcomed the FTC settlement but said Google "needs to be punished and feel pain on its bottom line. Nothing will completely stop Google from invading users' privacy until it gets hit where it hurts, its bank accounts," Simpson said.
Continue reading...Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The strong buzz in Washington, DC is that Google CEO Eric Schmidt is President Obama's top choice for Commerce Secretary and an appointment is coming soon. The CEO who made billions collecting our personal information online and serving us up to advertisers, the guy who created online privacy problems, would head the federal agency responsible for developing and executing the administration's online privacy policies.
Continue reading...Wednesday, March 30, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC — Consumer Watchdog praised the Federal Trade Commission for requiring Google to submit to privacy audits for the next twenty years, but said the Internet giant should also face monetary penalties for its abuses. The nonpartisan, nonprofit public interest group also called for government action to curtail Google’s anti-competitive practices.
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...Friday, March 18, 2011
Consumer Watchdog, well-known for its opposition of Google — and Schmidt in particular — issued a release Thursday in opposition to a possible appointment. The group also sent a letter to Obama asking him not to nominate Schmidt for the position. “Putting Eric Schmidt in charge of policing online privacy is like appointing Bernie Madoff to direct the Securities Exchange Commission,” the release said.
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011
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