Privacy

Privacy Warriors Win Right To Fight Google’s Itty-Bitty FTC Payout

August 29, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Opposition to Google's $22.5m privacy blunder settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission is heating up: lobby group Consumer Watchdog confirmed today it has won the right to file a brief against the deal.</p> <p>The search-and-ads giant had agreed to pay out after it was caught tracking users of Apple's web browser Safari by bypassing their privacy settings. But Consumer Watchdog's privacy project director John Simpson branded the settlement "pocket change" for Google, which also didn't have to admit to any wrongdoing with the FTC.</p>

Google, FTC Settlement Can Face Consumer Group Challenge

August 29, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>A public interest group won the right to oppose a $22.5 million consumer lawsuit settlement between the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and <span class="ticker_wrap">Google Inc. (<a class="ticker" data-symbol="GOOG:US" href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=GOOG:US">GOOG</a>)</span> over a privacy breach of <span class="ticker_wrap">Apple Inc. (<a class="ticker" data-symbol="AAPL:US" href="http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=AAPL:US">AAPL</a>)</span>’s Safari browser.</p>

Judge Allows Challenge To Google Privacy Penalty

August 29, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>A federal judge has allowed a public interest group to challenge a $22.5 million fine Google <a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/google-agrees-to-pay-record-fine-for-privacy-violations-20120809?mrefid=site_search">agreed to pay</a> earlier this month to settle allegations that it violated a consent decree it reached last year with the Federal Trade Commission related to violations of its privacy policies.</p>

Google Could Face Challenge To Its Privacy Settlement With FTC

August 29, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Consumer Watchdog is looking to get a shot at challenging <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/10/business/la-fi-google-ftc-20120810">Google’s $22.5-million settlement</a> with the Federal Trade Commission over alleged privacy violations.</p> <p>A U.S. District Court judge gave the organization the ability to challenge the settlement over allegations it misled users of Apple’s Safari browser. Google has denied any wrongdoing in the case. Now Consumer Watchdog is questioning whether the FTC can settle the case without an admission of wrongdoing.</p>

Court Allows Challenge To FTC’s $22.5M Google Settlement

August 29, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The FTC will have to defend in court why it's penalizing Google $22.5 million for a privacy violation while still allowing the company to deny any wrongdoing.</p> <p>A federal judge late Tuesday granted Consumer Watchdog the ability to challenge the legal logic behind the FTC's settlement with Google over charges it misrepresented its tracking of Safari Web browser users.</p>

Get Garcia: The 4G Fake Out

August 23, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p><a href="http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Get-Ana-Garcia-4G-Telecommunications-Cell-Phone-Providers-Carriers-FCC-Complaint-Consumer-Watchdog-167151185.html">Click here</a> to view a video of this news broadcast.</p> <p><a href="http://www.ctia.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consumer Watchdog of Santa Monica</a> on Thursday will file a complaint against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) accusing the entity and cell phone carriers of “misleading the public” about the speed of so-called 4G wireless service.</p>

FTC, Google Settlement: Consumer Watchdog Files Motion in U.S. District Court Opposing Agreement

August 23, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Consumer Watchdog, a non-profit consumer advocacy organization is up in arms over a recent settlement between Google and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over the search giant's privacy practices. The organization has filed a motion in U.S. District Court asking for allowance to oppose the settlement because it has been deemed too lenient a punishment for Google's actions.</p>

Consumer Group Asks FCC To Require More 4G Disclosure

August 23, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Consumer advocate group Consumer Watchdog is asking the Federal Communications Commission to require carriers to list the speed of their 4G networks in advertisements and at the point of sale.</p> <p>In a petition to be filed Thursday, the consumer group said that while carriers tout their “4G” networks, the definitions of what qualifies a network as fourth-generation are too unclear for consumers to make sense of the designation.</p>

Consumer Watchdog Opposes Google’s FTC Accord – Wants A Stiffer Penalty

August 23, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<div id="rpuCopySelection" style="text-align: left; font-size: 12px; color: black;"> <p>GOOGLE'S $22.5m settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over privacy breaches will be challenged if Consumer Watchdog gets its way.</p>

Google Beefing Up Privacy Swat Team

August 23, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<h2 class="artSubtitle"> The search giant has posted a job notice for a data privacy engineer for its privacy "red team."</h2> <p>Less than two weeks after agreeing to pay a $22.5 million fine for violating the privacy of the users of Apple's Safari web browser, Google is beefing up its privacy team to make sure that past mistakes aren't repeated.</p>

Google Recruiting Data Privacy ‘Ninjas’

August 23, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p class="bodytext"><span id="mn_Article">After a series of recent privacy gaffes, <a href="http://www.siliconvalley.com/topics?Google%20Inc.">Google</a> (<a href="http://markets.financialcontent.com/mng-ba.siliconvalley/quote?Symbol=GOOG">GOOG</a>) is soliciting software experts to apply for a special team of "back-end ninjas" who are focused on spotting and resolving user privacy issues in the company's products.</span></p>

Websites Allegedly Use Kids As Marketers

August 22, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>San Francisco</strong> -- McDonald's, General Mills, Subway, <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=technology%2Fdotcommentary&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Nickelodeon%22">Nickelodeon</a> and the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=technology%2Fdotcommentary&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Cartoon+Network%22">Cartoon Network</a> could all be violating online privacy rules designed to protect children.</p>