John M. Simpson

Justin Kloczko writes about tech, energy and insurance for Consumer Watchdog. He’s covered privacy issues extensively, including data collection, privacy rights and legislation, artificial intelligence, algorithms, and surveillance pricing.
 
He’s a recovering daily newspaper reporter with experience covering local government, education, and the criminal justice system at the Hartford Advocate, Middletown Press, and  Manchester Journal Inquirer. His work has appeared in Vice, Daily Beast, The New Republic, KCRW and Los Angeles Magazine.
 
While covering civil litigation at the Los Angeles Daily Journal he won LA Press Club awards for his stories detailing corruption at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. The stories led to the criminal prosecutions of multiple city officials. Justin also authored The Debaser, an independent newsletter about LA culture and politics that garnered him an appearance on the ABC/Hulu documentary about disgraced plaintiff’s attorney Tom Girardi called “The Housewife and the Hustler.”

Consumer Watchdog Calls Upon Circuit Court to Re-Interpret Internet Law Abused by Tech Companies

LOS ANGELES – An Internet law often cited by tech companies as a defense from any liability for material posted on their platforms must...

Google Rejects Open Hand On California Consumer Privacy Act

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA –  Google executives today expressed little interest in supporting or compromising on the pending ballot measure entitled the California Consumer Privacy...

Center for Auto Safety and Consumer Watchdog Call on DMV to Investigate Deceptive Tesla “Autopilot” marketing

Los Angeles, CA -- The Center for Auto Safety and Consumer Watchdog called on the California Department of Motor Vehicles today to investigate the...

Consumer Watchdog Calls for Strong Regulations on Robot Car Testing After NTSB Crash Report Reveals Deficiencies in Uber’s Technology

LOS ANGELES, CA – Robot car developers cannot be trusted to safely test their cars on public roads without strong government regulation and oversight,...

As Americans Hit the Road for Memorial Day, Consumer Watchdog Poll Finds Voters Want Congress to Apply the Brakes on Driverless Cars

LOS ANGELES, CA – As Americans Hit the Road for Memorial Day driving their own cars, voters surveyed in four states have serious safety...

Consumer Watchdog Backs California DMV’s Call For Robot Car Makers To Explain Robot Car Failures

LOS ANGELES, CA – Consumer Watchdog today backed the Californian Department of Motor Vehicle’s effort that in effect  told eight robot car manufacturers to stop...

Consumer Watchdog Calls on DMV to Open Robot Car Application Process to Public after Waymo Application Is Deemed Ready for Review

LOS ANGELES, CA – Consumer Watchdog today called on the Department of Motor Vehicles to open its application process for granting permits to test...

Google’s First-Quarter Lobbying Expenditures Top $5 Mmillion; AT&T, Comcast Each Surpass $4 Million

LOS ANGELES, CA – Google’s lobbying expenditures in the first quarter of this year topped $5 million, as the Internet giant sought to influence...

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State Farm Investigation Must Conclude Before Rate Hike Approved Says Consumer Watchdog 

Los Angeles, CA --  Consumer Watchdog issued the following statement on...

Court Accepts Consumer Watchdog Amicus Brief Opposing Trump Tariff Authority

Second Federal Court Ruling Yesterday Echoes Concerns Raised in...

Commissioner Lara Approves Unjustified $749 Million State Farm Home Insurance Rate Hike

UPDATED 1:40PM Los Angeles, CA – A proposed decision recommending...

Surveillance Pricing Bill Moves Forward

AB 446 prohibits businesses from using personal information of a consumer to adjust the price of goods.
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