Jamie Court, chief spokesman John Simpson, Washington coordinator Carmen Balber, and social-media strategist Josh Nuni are planning the Future of Online Consumer Protections conference, which was taking place Wednesday amid the Federal Trade Commission's release of a report that threw the government's weight behind a "Do Not Track" list for the Internet: a controversial sentiment among companies that make their money advertising on the Web. They've been handed an early Christmas present courtesy of the European Commission, which chose to announce its decision to formally investigate Google on the eve of Consumer Watchdog's conference as Simpson almost gleefully fields calls from reporters asking for reaction to the investigation.
Continue reading...Thursday, December 2, 2010
At a Consumer Watchdog event Wednesday, the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection proposed a new "Do Not Track" tool to curb privacy concerns over behaviorial advertising. The tool would be akin to the "Do Not Call" registry created in the early aughts which enabled the public to block the surging (and annoying) amount of telemarketers, Politico reports [1]. "Do Not Track" would work within browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox, but would require an act of Congress to pass.
Continue reading...Thursday, December 2, 2010
WASHINGTON DC — The Federal Trade Commission repeated its support today for a “Do Not Track Me” mechanism to protect consumer online privacy and Consumer Watchdog called on Congress to pass legislation necessary to implement the safeguard.
Continue reading...Wednesday, December 1, 2010
"You may well see something soon from the U.S. agencies, but I can't promise anything," said Melanie Sabo, Assistant Director for Anticompetitive Practices at the FTC's Bureau of Competition. Speaking at a Consumer Watchdog conference called "The Future of Online Consumer Protection," Sabo said her comments reflect her own views and not those of the FTC. The conference, held in Washington, D.C., was webcast over the Internet.
Continue reading...Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Gary Reback, an attorney with Carr & Ferrell and a prominent figure in the antitrust trials involving Microsoft, told attendees at Consumer Watchdog's Future of Online Consumer Protections conference here that the European case, built off complaints by a comparison shopping engine, could demonstrate that Google has improperly penalized specialty search engines in its quest to maintain its leading search engine market share. The refrain is a familiar one among Google critics: that Google's Universal Search unfairly promotes its own content over that of competitors.
Continue reading...Wednesday, December 1, 2010
“What is Google doing wrong?” Virginia-based consultant and blogger Scott Cleland asked the Consumer Watchdog conference today. “They’re a nice company and competition is just one click away.” It is a common enough question which Cleland answered himself with a metaphor that poker players will appreciate. “Google deals itself Aces that are hidden in its […]
Continue reading...Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Last April, Consumer Watchdog published this report, titled Traffic Report: How Google Is Squeezing Out Competitors and Muscling Into New Markets. The group formally asked the Justice Department to launch an antitrust probe of the search giant. But the European Commission beat their U.S. counterparts to the punch. "I welcome the European action, but Google is a U.S. Company and it's long past time for our authorities to launch an investigation," says Consumer Watchdog spokesman John Simpson.
Continue reading...Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Google’s Anticompetitive Tactics Will Be Topic At Group’s Conference Wednesday WASHINGTON — Consumer Watchdog today welcomed the European Union’s antitrust investigation of Google and reiterated its call for the the U.S. Justice Department to launch its own investigation of the Internet giant.
Continue reading...Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Four public interest groups filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission Tuesday urging the agency to investigate whether those offering online health information and services are engaging in unfair and deceptive advertising practices.
Continue reading...Tuesday, November 23, 2010
A coalition of privacy groups and other advocates are asking the Federal Trade Commission to probe whether online health marketers engage in deceptive practices by tracking users across the Web in order to serve them targeted ads.
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Friday, December 3, 2010
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