Consumer Watchdog

Expose. Confront. Change.

Donate
Consumer Watchdog
Home About Us
Our Approach Our Team Our Books Contact
Updates
News Releases Consumer Alerts Video In The News Reports
Our Issues
Healthcare Energy Privacy Insurance Accountability In The Courtroom
Get Involved
Submit a Complaint Take Action
Donate Now
In One Step, You Can Ask Data Brokers to Delete Your Data Right Now

In One Step, You Can Ask Data Brokers to Delete Your Data Right Now

Surveillance Price Gouging

Surveillance Price Gouging

How to Opt Out from the Biggest Data Brokers

How to Opt Out from the Biggest Data Brokers

Privacy

FTC Slaps Google’s Wrist in Search, Patent Probe

FTC Slaps Google’s Wrist in Search, Patent Probe

January 3, 2013  ·  Mark Reback
<p>Federal regulators concluded Thursday a 19-month probe into Google’s search and patent-licensing practices, and in the end took no action against Google’s search rankings that favor its own products over competitors.</p> <p>Still, in an accord with the Federal Trade Commission, Google made some concessions. Among other things, the search giant loosened its restrictions on its AdWords advertising platform that prevented advertisers from appearing on competing platforms.</p>
Relief for Google as US ends monopoly probe

Relief for Google as US ends monopoly probe

January 3, 2013  ·  Mark Reback
<p>WASHINGTON — US regulators closed a lengthy antitrust probe into Google on Thursday, saying there was not enough evidence to show the Internet giant manipulated its search results to harm its competitors.</p> <p>The Federal Trade Commission said it lacked a legal basis to bring a case against Google for allegedly abusing its dominance in Internet searches, but it won commitments from the tech titan to end its "most troubling" practices.</p>
Hours Away

Hours Away

December 31, 2012  ·  Consumer Watchdog
<p><a href="http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6563/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_KEY=4651"><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2565" alt="" height="226" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/images_donationcount-22_5k.gif" style="float: right;" width="155" /></a>With just a few hours left in 2012, we've almost reached our year-end fundraising goal and your last opportunity to make a tax-deductible gift this year.
The Cliff

The Cliff

December 30, 2012  ·  Jamie Court
<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2561" alt="" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/images_jamiecourt_updated.jpg" style="width: 200px; float: right; height: 272px;" width="881" height="1200" />This is no Thelma and Louise moment. The US government is driving over a cliff and few American taxpayers have smiles on their faces.<br /> <br /> All eyes are on the Capitol now, so imagine what happens when no one is watching.<br /> <br /> With all the uncertainty in 2013, one thing is for sure: Consumer Watchdog will have your back when the politicians think no one is watching. Now we are asking you to get our back.<br /> <br />
Did The FTC Find Its Spine In Google Probe? We Need To Keep The Pressure On

Did The FTC Find Its Spine In Google Probe? We Need To Keep The Pressure On

December 20, 2012  ·  John M. Simpson
<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2557" alt="" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/images_google-ftc-buzz.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 200px; float: right;" width="300" height="300" />Last weekend news broke that the <a data-mce-="" href="http://FTC.gov">Federal Trade Commission</a> was about to settle its two-year antitrust investigation of Google with what charitably could be termed a slight tap on the wrist. But by Tuesday night the reported holiday gift to the Internet giant was unraveling and the FTC signaled it would keep the investigation going into January.</p>
FTC’s New COPPA Rule Increases Online Protection For Kids, But Has Important Loopholes

FTC’s New COPPA Rule Increases Online Protection For Kids, But Has Important Loopholes

December 19, 2012  ·  John M. Simpson
<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2512" alt="" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/images_ftc-hq.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; float: right;" width="100" height="100" />The Federal Trade Commission Wednesday <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2012/12/coppa.shtm">announced amendments</a> to the Children's Online Privacy Protection (COPPA) Rule that will give parents more control over the information online services and websites can collect about their kids.  It's the first change since COPPA was passed in 1998 and is meant to update the protections to a time when much of kids' online activity has moved to "apps" on tablets, s
Google and Tax: How To Los Friends And Alienate People

Google and Tax: How To Los Friends And Alienate People

December 13, 2012  ·  Mark Reback
<p>In an interview given yesterday to Bloomberg in New York City, Eric Schmidt, the chairman of that famous "do no evil" company, Google, said that he is "very proud" of Google's complex tax avoidance measures. "It's called a capitalsm", he said. And indeed it is, the ugly, arrogant and unacceptable face of it. By Martyn Warwick.</p>
Schmidt ‘Very Proud’ of Google’s Tiny Tax Bill: ‘It’s Called Capitalism’

Schmidt ‘Very Proud’ of Google’s Tiny Tax Bill: ‘It’s Called Capitalism’

December 13, 2012  ·  Mark Reback
<p><b><strong>Ads giant branded 'morally bankrupt modern-day robber baron'</strong></b></p> <div id="body"> <p>Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt has dismissed criticism over how little corporation tax his company pays, saying it's just capitalism.</p> <p>Schmidt is "very proud" of the corporate structure Google set up to divert profits made in European countries, such as the UK, to its firms in the low-tax havens of Ireland and The Netherlands, thus minimising its tax bill.</p>
‘It’s Called Capitalism’: Google Boss Says He Is ‘Proud’ of the Company’s Multi-Million Pound Tax Avoidance Scheme

‘It’s Called Capitalism’: Google Boss Says He Is ‘Proud’ of the Company’s Multi-Million Pound Tax Avoidance Scheme

December 12, 2012  ·  Mark Reback
<p><strong>The search giant paid £6m in tax – despite making sales of £2.6 billion -- Company’s chairman Eric Schmidt said the company paid 'lots of taxes - in legally prescribed ways'</strong><br /> <br /> The boss of Google last night said he was ‘very proud’ of the elaborate structure that helped the search giant slash more than £200million from its UK tax bill last year.<br /> <br />
Stem Cell Agency Board Criticized For Conflicts Of Interest

Stem Cell Agency Board Criticized For Conflicts Of Interest

December 7, 2012  ·  Mark Reback
<p><b>The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine board should be restructured to shore up the integrity of its grant process, an Institute of Medicine report says.</b></p> <p>The board of California's stem cell funding agency is rife with conflicts of interest and should be restructured to improve the integrity of its grant-making process, according to a new report from independent experts convened by the national Institute of Medicine.</p>