Allow States to Adopt Single Payer Health Care, Not Just Weak “Co-Ops”
Washington D.C. -- Any national health reform compromise that allows states to adopt ineffective health care "co-ops" should also allow states to…
Jul 29, 2009Consumer Watchdog
Providing an effective voice for American consumers in an era when special interests dominate public discourse, government and politics. Non-partisan.
Articles by Consumer Watchdog
Consumer Watchdog Calls On Feds To Get User Privacy And Antitrust Guarantees In Proposed Microsoft-Yahoo! Deal
Santa Monica CA -- The proposed 10-year partnership on Internet search and search advertising between Microsoft and Yahoo! must be closely scrutinized…
Jul 29, 2009
Privacy
Jerry Brown’s Favorite Charities Get Millions
Carmen Balber of Consumer Watchdog of Washington, D.C., said "in the most ethical sense, the candidate does not control these payments. But…
Jul 29, 2009
Insurance
Former Health Insurance Exec Champions Reform
Wendell Potter choked up a few times recalling the events that turned him from the chief spokesman for health insurer Cigna Corp.…
Jul 29, 2009
Insurance
Senate’s ‘Potato-Chip Caucus’ takes ax to health reform
Six small-state U.S. senators sitting around a table and munching chocolate-dipped potato chips are about to chop off the two pillars of…
Jul 28, 2009
Privacy
Suit Against Apple for Selling Defective iPod NANOs
Apple introduced the slim, first-generation iPod Nano in 2005 to much fanfare. Unfortunately for many consumers, the product quickly developed cracks and…
Jul 28, 2009
Privacy
Experts: Make the (Transparent) Case for Behavioral Advertising
When the online advertising industry recently issued seven principles to protect consumer privacy, you could see the lines being drawn. John Simpson,…
Jul 28, 2009
Privacy
Hope For Health Reform? Push Single-Payer Now
The "New Dems" are far greedier and more troubling players than the small cadre of southern and rural Blue Dog Democrats. Of…
Jul 28, 2009
Privacy
Twitter Breach Revives Security Issues With Cloud Computing
Concerns are the same as with any outsourcing, remote data access, IT managers say. Consumer Watchdog group said the Twitter incident raises…
Jul 27, 2009
Energy
Energy Firms Help Pay For State Regulators’ Far-Flung Trips
State officials who lead California's war on global warming often travel abroad on trips supported by the major greenhouse gas polluters they…
Jul 26, 2009
Privacy
Online behavioral advertising opt-out procedures misleading
Earlier this month the Network Advertising Initiative (NIA), a trade association that includes some of the biggest online advertising companies like Google,…
Jul 24, 2009
Privacy
Warning issued on Google Books privacy threat
Much of the focus on the proposed Google Books settlement has been on antitrust concerns....
Jul 23, 2009
Insurance
How insurance companies fight recession: Jack up your premiums
When President Obama talked last night about the absolute need for a publicly run health care option for Americans, a competitor to…
Jul 23, 2009
Insurance
Obama Plugs Single-Payer… Sort Of
Polls show most Americans don’t like the current system (56 percent want “major health care reform” this year, 62 percent want more…
Jul 23, 2009
Insurance
Heat is on Google, so it ups lobbying spending 30%
What do you do if you're a gargantuan Internet company that's come under increased scrutiny, despite your "Don't-be-evil" mantra? Send in the...
Jul 23, 2009
Insurance
Consumer Group Criticizes California Auto Insurance Claim Bill
Consumer Watchdog said the proposal would undo a current California law prohibiting insurance companies from pushing, or "steering," customers to auto body…
Jul 23, 2009
Privacy
L.A. delays consideration of Google email plan
Consideration of a proposal to move the City of Los Angles' email and other computer applications to a system run by...
Jul 22, 2009
Insurance
Bitter Medicine: Health Care Reform Groups Fear The Cure May Be Worse Than The Disease
"We're digging through them now. We support a bill that has a true public option, and the House bill has that," said…
Jul 22, 2009