Privacy

Court Paves Way for Lawsuit Over Google’s WiFi Fishing Expedition

September 11, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><b>Google has lost its appeal to dismiss a class action lawsuit over its Street View cars' poaching of data from unsecured WiFi networks. "Google went out like fishermen with nets and scooped up whatever electronic fish were out there and processed it," said tech attorney Ray Van Dyke. It "could have thrown those fish back but did not. Indeed, if the fish was protected, Google still kept it."</b></p> <p> </p>

Facebook Privacy Change Is Subject Of F.T.C. Inquiry

September 11, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p itemprop="articleBody">Facebook, which has repeatedly tripped over its own feet when changing its privacy practices, has stumbled yet again.</p> <p itemprop="articleBody">The Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday that it had begun an inquiry into whether the social network’s proposed new privacy policies, unveiled two weeks ago, violated a 2011 agreement with regulators. Under that agreement, the social network is required to get the explicit consent of its users before exposing their private information to new audiences.</p>

FTC Evaulating Facebook Policy Changes

September 11, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The Federal Trade Commission is evaluating whether changes to two of Facebook’s key privacy policies adhere to a 2011 agreement between the agency and the social network.</p> <p>Facebook spokeswoman Jodi Seth confirmed that the FTC is evaluating Facebook’s policies.  </p>

Google Loses Appeal In Street View Snooping Case

September 10, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p itemprop="articleBody">SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A federal appeals court said Google wrongly collected people’s personal correspondence and online activities through their Wi-Fi systems as it drove down their streets with car cameras shooting photos for its Street View mapping project.</p> <p itemprop="articleBody">The ruling that the practice violates wiretap laws sends a warning to other companies seeking to suck up vast amounts of data from unencrypted Wi-Fi signals.</p>

Google Must Face Wiretap Claims in Lawsuit Over Street View

September 10, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<div id="article_body"> <p><span class="ticker_wrap"><span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Corporation"><span itemprop="name">Google Inc.</span></span> (<a class="ticker" data-symbol="GOOG:US" href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=GOOG:US">GOOG:US</a>)</span>, the world’s most-used Internet search engine, must face claims in a lawsuit that its Street View feature violated protections against wiretapping, a federal appeals court ruled</p>

Google’s $8.5M Data Privacy Dodge

September 6, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><b>Google may get out of a big class-action privacy lawsuit virtually unscathed if its settlement proposal is approved. However, EPIC, Consumer Watchdog, Patient Privacy Rights, the Center for Digital Democracy, and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse contend that 1) it fails to require Google to make any substantive changes to its business practices; and 2) it provides no monetary relief to the class.</b></p>

Privacy Groups Bristle at Facebook’s Proposed Privacy Changes

September 6, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Facebook's announcement late yesterday that it will delay the rollout of a revised privacy policy and data use agreement until next week comes on the heels of unified outcry from consumer rights groups. The updates were originally scheduled to go into effect September 5.</p>

Privacy Groups Criticize Facebook in FTC Letter on Policy Change

September 5, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="clearfix" id="story_content"> <p>Privacy groups asked the Federal Trade Commission to prevent <a class="web_ticker" href="http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/FB:US" title="Get Quote">Facebook Inc. (FB)</a> from changing its data use policies on concern with how the social network operator handles user information for advertising.</p>

Big Day In San Jose For Privacy

September 5, 2013  ·  Jamie Court

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2678" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/images_jamiepic-new5.jpg" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="133" height="200" />Google <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/google-argues-continue-scanning-gmail-20161961">went</a> to federal court in San Jose  to defend the company’s eye-popping <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/newsrelease/google-tells-court-you-cannot-expect-privacy-when-sending-messages-gmail-people-who-care t">assertion </a>that those who email G-mail users have “no legitimate expectation of pr

Privacy Groups Call On FTC To Block Facebook Changes

September 5, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Six privacy advocacy groups have urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to block Facebook's proposed changes to its privacy policy.</p> <p>The changes, which are set to go into effect in the coming days, would clarify that Facebook has the right to include users' photos, names and other personal information in advertisements to their friends.</p> <p>But the privacy groups claimed the policy change would violate Facebook's 2012 settlement with the FTC. That agreement barred Facebook from sharing users' information with third parties without their permission.</p>

Privacy Groups Charge Facebook Policy Changes Violate FTC Order

September 5, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong><span class="subheadline">Facebook's proposed changes spell out use of users' data in ads</span></strong></p> <p>Facebook is in the privacy crosshairs again, this time over proposed changes to its data-use policy. Charging that the changes violate Facebook's 2011 consent decree with the Federal Trade Commission, a group of privacy and consumer organizations are calling on the agency to take action.</p>

Google Fights To Kill Email-Scanning Lawsuit Brought By Gmail Users

September 5, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><b>It's hoping to dismiss the class-action suit over privacy</b></p> <p id="first_paragraph">Google lawyers are in court today arguing to dismiss a lawsuit that would stop the company from <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9241659/There_s_no_free_lunch_when_it_comes_to_Google_s_Gmail">scanning Gmail users' email messages</a> for advertising purposes.</p>