Privacy

WSJ: Google Donating to Conservative Groups, Wooing the GOP

January 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Google — known for championing progressive policies like gay marriage, immigration reform, and reducing greenhouse gases — has been quietly courting the GOP and funding an array of conservative groups, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304856504579339031332776594?mod=WSJ_hp_RightTopStories"><b>The Wall Street Journal </b></a>reported Thursday.<br /> <br /> The Silicon Valley superpower is now evenly splitting its political-action committee donations between the GOP and Democrats, which it had traditionally favored, The Journal said.<br />

Google Invests $14 Million Of Combined $61 Million Tech Firms Spent To Sway Legislators In 2013

January 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>When it comes to influencing Washington, Google was at the top of the list of tech companies that spent a combined $61.15 million on lobbying efforts last year.</p> <p>According to a <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/newsrelease/google-leads-pack-10-tech-firms-pump-6115-million-2013-lobbying-efforts">report from Consumer Watchdog</a>, Google invested $14.06 million of the $61.15 million invested by ten tech firms, including Microsoft, IBM, Facebook and Oracle.</p>

Group Fights for Mandatory Drug, Alcohol Tests for Doctors

January 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="cmLeadPhoto"> <a data-asset_id="4430595" href="http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/lt/lt_cache/thumbnail/400/img/photos/2014/01/23/92/e0/BILLBOARD.jpg" id="lba4_4430595" title="Click To View Larger"><img alt="Consumer Watchdog Billboard" class="cmPhotoBorderWhite cmDarkBoxShadow" height="225" src="http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/lt/lt_cache/thumbnail/400/img/photos/2014/01/23/92/e0/BILLBOARD.jpg" title="Consumer Watchdog Billboard" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="cmCaption"> Consumer Watchdog Billboard</div>

Retailers Can Wait To Tell You Your Card Data Have Been Compromised

January 23, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2014/01/23/265254621/retailers-can-wait-to-tell-you-your-card-datas-been-compromised">Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment</a>.</p>

Consumer Watchdog Files Google+ Complaint with FTC

January 22, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<section class="page"> <p><span itemprop="articleBody description text">Google, through its plan to link Gmail addresses to its Google+ social network, is violating a privacy agreement the company made with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, a long-time critic of the company’s privacy practices said in a complaint to the agency.</span></p>

Google Again Tops Tech Spending on Lobbying

January 22, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Google’s spending on lobbying dropped in 2013, but it is still lavishing Washington with more money than any other tech company.</p> <p>The search giant spent $14.1 million to help influence lawmakers and regulators last year, according to data published on <a href="http://lobbyingdisclosure.house.gov/">House.gov</a>.</p>

Google Leads Pack As Ten Tech Firms Spend More Than $61 Million Lobbying Washington

January 22, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Ten of the largest technology companies in the US spent more than $61 million lobbying Washington in 2013, according to an <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/newsrelease/google-leads-pack-10-tech-firms-pump-6115-million-2013-lobbying-efforts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis of records filed by Consumer Watchdog</a> earlier this week. The firms, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, used the money in attempts to guide the government's hand on issues such as privacy, data security, and advertising.</p>

Laws Vague On Breach Alerts

January 20, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>In theory, stores must notify their shoppers about data theft</strong></p>

Official’s Dual Roles Stir Worry Of Conflict

January 20, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div id="text-pages"> <div class="page" style="display: block;"> <p>Hydra Mendoza has for several years played a controversial dual role in San Francisco politics, acting as both a school board member and the mayor's education adviser.</p> <p>It's a legal although unusual arrangement, but one that has raised ethical concerns that her loyalties may be split among her public responsibilities, her paycheck, and now, her personal life.</p>

Target’s Data Breach Highlights State Role In Privacy

January 16, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><b>Most states have their own "security breach laws" requiring companies to notify consumers if their credit card numbers have been stolen</b></p> <p><span>The recent data breach at Target highlights the growing role of states in protecting people's online data and privacy.</span></p>

Target Hack Is A Wake-Up Call On Privacy

January 11, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><span class="dateline">NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — </span>Think twice next time a store asks for your phone number, email or zip code.</p> <p>If you fork it over, you're feeding the beast of consumer data collection -- and putting your own information at risk.</p> <p>Target's disclosure that credit card thieves hacked a database of 70 million customers is a wake-up call.</p> <p>"It's like an arms race for consumers' information at this point," said Susan Grant, an advocate for the Consumer Federation of America.</p>

Google’s Changes To Gmail Provoke More Privacy Fears

January 10, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="group"> <p><a class="inline_quotes" data-gdsid="19004" data-inline-quote-symbol="GOOG" href="http://data.cnbc.com/quotes/GOOG" target="_self" rel="noopener">Google</a>'s privacy polices came under fire again on Friday regarding changes to its Gmail service, two days after it was fined by France for data protection violations.</p> <p>Gmail users could soon receive messages from people with whom they have never shared their email addresses, following the latest in a string of moves to link Google's email service with its online social network, Google Plus.</p>