Privacy

Consumer Watchdog Calls Google Execs ‘Hypocrites’ for Banning Recording Devices from Stockholders Meeting

June 7, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/">Consumer Watchdog</a>, a nonprofit and nonpartisan consumer protection organization, is turning a critical eye on Google for banning recording devices from <a href="http://investor.google.com/proxy.html">today’s annual stockholders meeting</a>. After all, the technology company has just created <a href="http://socialtimes.com/designing-google-glass_b127292">Google Glass</a>, which is computerized eyewear that can record people without their knowledge.</p>

Google Accused of Hypocrisy Over Glass Ban at Shareholder Shindig

June 7, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>Strange things afoot in Google's bathrooms</strong></p> <p>Google's directors were accused of hypocrisy over a regulation banning attendees at its annual shareholder's meeting in California from wearing Google Glass hardware at the event.</p> <p>"Cameras, recording devices, and other electronic devices, such as smart phones, will not be permitted at the meeting. Photography is prohibited at the meeting," attendees were told, something that rankled with Consumer Watchdog's privacy policy director and Google shareholder John Simpson.</p>

Why Isn’t Twitter Part of the NSA PRISM Snooping Program?

June 7, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Microsoft was the first to <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2040991/report-nsa-prism-program-spied-on-americans-emails-searches.html">partner with the NSA</a> in 2007, according to the once-secret <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data">PRISM PowerPoint deck</a>. Other big-name tech companies followed, and even the obscure PalTalk joined the fray. But, quite conspiculously, Twitter never joined the government snooping program—there's no reference to the company in the NSA document.</p>

Google Chief Says Glass Privacy Fears Will Fade

June 6, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>SAN FRANCISCO — Google chief Larry Page assured investors that privacy fears about the company's coming Internet glasses will fade as people incorporate the eyewear into their lives.</p> <p>"People worry about all sorts of things that actually, when we use the product, it is not that big a concern," Page said while fielding questions at an annual shareholders meeting at the company headquarters in Silicon Valley.</p>

Oops, Google Glass Too Invasive for Shareholders’ Meeting

June 6, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Turns out, <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_23274277/google-glass-cool-or-creepy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consumer privacy advocates </a>and <a href="http://www.siliconbeat.com/2013/06/06/oops-google-glass-too-invasive-for-shareholders-meeting/www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_23395600/casinos-ban-gamblers-from-using-google-glass" target="_blank" rel="noopener">casinos</a> aren’t the only ones concerned with the invasive nature of Google Glass.

Google Glass Won’t Allow Facial Recognition Apps For Now

June 3, 2013  ·  John M. Simpson

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2647" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/images_th.jpg" style="width: 175px; height: 200px; float: right;" width="263" height="300" />Google is apparently reacting to widespread concerns about one of the most privacy invasive and Orwellian potential applications for its computerized eyeglasses known as Google Glass. Late Friday <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9239714/Google_nixes_Glass_facial_recognition_due_to_privacy_concerns?taxonomyId=18">the Internet giant said</a> it won't -- for now -- allow facial recognition software on the device.<br /> <br />

EDITORIAL: State Must Dig To Bottom Of This Toxic Mess

June 3, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Apparently, Caltrans isn't the only state agency that needs thorough scrutiny. Evidence is mounting that the state Department of Toxic Substances Control could use a good scrubbing as well.</p> <p>The Sacramento Bee's Jim Sanders reported Thursday that the agency has spent more than $100 million in public money since 1987 to clean up 1,700 contaminated sites across California, but has yet to bill the polluters.</p>

Seniors Being Targeted With Medical Alert Scam

June 2, 2013  ·  John M. Simpson

<p><script type="text/javascript" src="http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/embed.js?id=2469910595001&w=466&h=263"></script><noscript>Watch the latest video at <a href="http://video.foxbusiness.com">video.foxbusiness.com</a></noscript>Consumer Watchdog Privacy Project Director John Simpson on the latest scam targeting senior citizens.</p>

Editorial: State Toxics Agency Could Use A Cleanup

June 1, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Apparently, Caltrans isn't the only state agency that needs thorough scrutiny. Evidence is mounting that the state Department of Toxic Substances Control could use a good scrubbing as well.</p> <p>The Bee's Jim Sanders reported Thursday that the agency has spent more than $100 million in public money since 1987 to clean up 1,700 contaminated sites across California, but has yet to bill the polluters.</p>

Google Get Close To Crossing ‘Creepy Line’

June 1, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Google is flirting with what Chairman Eric Schmidt once called “the creepy line.”</p> <p class="News-body-text">At its recent developer conference, the Mountain View, Calif., search giant showcased a number of new personalized technologies that many consumers will find useful, such as alerts of upcoming flights and restaurant recommendations.</p>

DTSC Admits It Failed to Collect Millions Owed to CA

May 31, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p><b>Toxic regulator reveals it has not recouped $185 million in public funds from polluters</b></p> <p>The state agency in charge of regulating toxic polluters admitted Thursday that it failed to collect $185 million the state spent cleaning up contaminated sites such as junkyards, small businesses and property owned by large companies including Chevron. That means California taxpayers have been on the hook for a quarter of a century.</p>

State Toxics Control Agency Admits Not Collecting $184.5 Million in Cleanup Fees

May 31, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The state agency that regulates toxic polluters regularly spends millions of dollars to clean up sites without collecting money from the responsible parties.</p>