Privacy

Bloggers Should Disclose Who Pays

November 14, 2012 · Mark Reback

<div id="text-pages"> <div class="page" style="display: block;"> This op-ed commentary was published in the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Political-bloggers-should-reveal-funding-4035087.php">San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday, November 14th, 2012</a>.

Google Gets Antitrust Ultimatum From FTC

November 13, 2012 · John M. Simpson

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2528" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/images_ftc-hq_2.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; float: right;" width="100" height="100" />Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz has given Google what <a data-mce-="" href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-12/google-said-to-face-ultimatum-from-ftc-in-antitrust-talks.html">Bloomberg News Service describes</a> as an ultimatum to settle the agency's antitrust investigation in the next few days or face a lawsuit. Citing unidentified sources, Bloomberg reporter Sara Forden on Monday wrote:

A Millionaires’ Guide To Passing A Ballot Measure

November 8, 2012 · Mark Reback

What do Thomas Steyer and Chris Kelly know that fellow California high-rollers George Joseph, Molly Munger, her brother Charles T. Munger Jr. and Nicolas Berggruen don't? All six multimillionaires bankrolled a ballot proposition in this year's election. But voters approved the ones backed by Steyer, a financier in San Francisco, and Kelly, a former Facebook executive; the rest effectively flushed their money down a rathole.

Get Real Sergey, But Here’s How You Could Actually Help

November 7, 2012 · John M. Simpson

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2519" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/images_googleevil2-75x75.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; float: right;" width="75" height="75" />Sergey Brin, Google's co-founder, i<a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/11/06/google-co-founder-rips-u-s-government-ahead-of-election/">s getting a little bit of ink</a> for his suggestion that all politicians elected today quit their parties and "govern as independents in name and in spirit." Here's how he puts it in <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+SergeyBrin/posts">his post on Google+</a>:

Google’s Dominance Sparks Fear, Draws Antitrust Concerns

November 4, 2012 · John M. Simpson

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2300" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/images_googlebuilding.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; float: right;" width="100" height="100" />A weekend <a data-mce-="" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/04/technology/google-casts-a-big-shadow-on-smaller-web-sites.html?_r=0">New York Times article</a> puts a clear focus on the issues that are drawing antitrust regulators to focus on the Internet giant's anticompetitive practices.

Pressure Mounts Against Google for Its Anticompetitive Behavior

November 2, 2012 · John M. Simpson

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2512" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/images_ftc-hq.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 100px; float: right;" width="100" height="100" />Signs that Google will soon face strong antitrust action on both sides of the Atlantic are increasing with a <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-01/ftc-staff-said-to-formally-recommend-google-patent-suit.html">report Thursday from Bloomberg News Service</a> that the the <a href="http://FTC.gov">Federal Trade Commission</a> staff has recommended that the Internet giant be sued for unfairly blocking competitors' access to smartphone-technology patents.

California AG Kamala Harris Gets Tough On Mobile Apps

October 31, 2012 · John M. Simpson

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2508" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/images_johnsqdrawingname.gif" style="width: 175px; height: 175px; float: right;" width="175" height="175" />It looks like <a href="http://oag.ca.gov/">California Attorney General Kamala Harris</a> means business when it comes to protecting consumers' online privacy. She has <a href="http://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-kamala-d-harris-notifies-mobile-app-developers-non-compliance">started to warn</a> scores of companies that their mobile applications or "apps" violate California privacy law and could face fines of up to $2,500 each time one

Stop Billionaires From Buying the Vote

October 30, 2012 · Consumer Watchdog

<a href="http://stopprop33.consumerwatchdogcampaign.org/feature/stop-insurance-billionaire-power-grab-share-no-32-and-33-posters"><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2499" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/images_stopprop32-33_posters-all4sqa.gif" style="width: 175px; height: 175px; float: right;" width="175" height="175" /></a>We have just one week to beat the insurance billionaires trying to buy this election. We plastered these posters around the streets of San Francisco and Los Angeles to expose these deceptive billionaire propositions. Can you help us make sure more voters know?

Consumer Watchdog: Google’s Safari-Hack Settlement Not In Public Interest

October 30, 2012 · Mark Reback

The Federal Trade Commission's proposed $22.5 million settlement with Google for privacy violations doesn't impose stringent enough conditions on the company, the group Consumer Watchdog argues in new court papers.

Privacy Bill of Rights Would Face Uncertainty Under Romney Presidency, Observers Say

October 29, 2012 · Mark Reback

<div> A <a class="bluenobold" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/email-files/privacy_white_paper.pdf">White House plan</a> to provide consumers with a “privacy bill of rights” for the digital age faces dim prospects if Mitt Romney wins the tight presidential race because of the Republican candidate's general skepticism about regulation, observers told BNA in recent interviews.

Court Will Reconsider Google’s Safari Privacy Deal

October 28, 2012 · Mark Reback

A San Francisco court will hear arguments next month against a proposed <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/259010/google_ftc_near_22_5m_settlement_over_safari_privacy_breach.html?tk=rel_news">US$22.5 million privacy settlement</a> between Google and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, over <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/250213/googles_safari_tracking_dilemma_reality_check.html?tk=rel_news">Google's use of cookies</a> to track the Web movements of users running Apple's Safari browser.

Campaign Finances Getting Personal

October 28, 2012 · Mark Reback

Special-interest money is getting downright personal in this year's state election, with four mega-millionaires tossing a combined $125 million into the pot - mostly on initiatives they put on the ballot themselves.

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