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Privacy

Consumer Watchdog investigations and advocacy on data privacy, surveillance, AI, and your right to control your personal information.
Google To Buy Frommer’s Travel Guides

Google To Buy Frommer’s Travel Guides

<p>SAN FRANCISCO — Google Inc. has set its sights on the travel industry.<br /> <br /> Looking to attract more advertising dollars, Google said Monday that it would buy Frommer's travel guides from publishing house John Wiley & Sons Inc. for an undisclosed amount.<br /> <br />
Consumer Watchdog Calls for Google’s Acquisition of Frommer to be Blocked

Consumer Watchdog Calls for Google’s Acquisition of Frommer to be Blocked

<p>Google's latest attempt to add more content to its local business listings by buying travel brand Frommer has been challenged by the Consumer Watchdog.<br /> <br /> The acquisition – the financial details of which were not disclosed – would build on Google's purchase of restaurant review guide publisher Zagat in September 2011.<br /> <br /> It also reinforces a significant shift in Google's previous policy of steering away from content production and remaining neutral as a web search provider.<br /> <br />
Mo Content, Mo Problems: Google’s Frommer’s Acquisition Could Lead To Additional Antitrust Scrutiny

Mo Content, Mo Problems: Google’s Frommer’s Acquisition Could Lead To Additional Antitrust Scrutiny

<p>With its recent purchase of Zagat and today’s <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/08/13/google-acquiring-frommers-travel-brand-more-google-improvements-likely-to-follow/">announcement</a> that it is acquiring travel guide company Frommer’s, there can be little doubt that Google is getting deeper into the content business. This move makes a lot of sense for Google, which is trying to add more content to its local reviews business and Knowledge Graph, but it could also put the company under additional scrutiny from antitrust investigators in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Google Hit With Record $22.5-Million Fine For Safari Tracking

Google Hit With Record $22.5-Million Fine For Safari Tracking

<p><b>The FTC fines Google a record $22.5 million for violating the privacy of people who used Apple's Safari Web browser even after pledging it would not.</b></p> <p>In levying a record $22.5-million fine against Google Inc., the Federal Trade Commission said it wanted to send a clear message to the Internet giant that it won't tolerate similar breaches in the future.</p> <p>Google on Thursday agreed to pay the fine to settle allegations that it violated a pledge to protect the privacy of its users who browse the Web with Apple Inc.'s Safari.</p>
Google To Pay Record $22.5 Million To Settle With FTC

Google To Pay Record $22.5 Million To Settle With FTC

<p><b>Search giant denies it intended to violate consumer privacy by circumventing Safari settings</b></p> <p>Privacy advocates have been waiting for this one: Google agreed to pay a record $22.5 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it circumvented privacy settings in Apple's Safari browser. As part of the order, Google must disable all the tracking cookies it had said it would not place on consumers' computers.</p>
Google Agrees To $22.5 Mil Fine For Tracking Safari Users

Google Agrees To $22.5 Mil Fine For Tracking Safari Users

<p align="LEFT"><img class=" size-full wp-image-9755" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/images_google-advertising-b.jpg" style="width: 310px; height: 149px;" width="410" height="197" />Google has agreed to a record $22.5 million fine to settle charges that it circumvented the privacy settings of Safari users, the Federal Trade Commission announced on Thursday.</p>
Google Agrees To Pay Record Fine for Privacy Violations

Google Agrees To Pay Record Fine for Privacy Violations

<div id="printArticleBody"> <p>Google has agreed to pay $22.5 million to settle allegations that it violated its privacy promises by bypassing the privacy settings of users of Apple’s Safari Internet browser in order to track them, the Federal Trade Commission said on Thursday.</p>
Google To Pay $22.5M Fine Over Privacy Practices

Google To Pay $22.5M Fine Over Privacy Practices

<p id="first_paragraph">Google will pay a historic fine to settle U.S. government charges that it violated privacy laws when it tracked via cookies users of Apple's Safari browser.</p> <p>The US$22.5 million civil penalty is the largest ever secured by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for a violation of one of its orders, <a href="http://ftc.gov/opa/2012/08/google.shtm">the FTC said on Thursday</a>.</p> <p>However, ConsumerWatchdog.org finds the settlement inadequate for various reasons, including the amount of the fine and the fact that it allows Google to deny guilt and liability.</p>
Google Pays $22.5 Million To Settle Apple Safari Charges

Google Pays $22.5 Million To Settle Apple Safari Charges

<p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Google Inc will pay $22.5 million to settle charges it bypassed the privacy settings of customers using Apple Inc's Safari browser, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Thursday.</p> <p>The deal ends an FTC probe into allegations that Google used computer code known as "cookies" to trick the Safari browser on iPhones and iPads so the Internet search company could monitor users who had blocked such tracking.</p>