Privacy

Obama Administration Needs To Change Privacy Tactics

July 16, 2012  ·  John M. Simpson

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2203" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_johndrawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; float: right;" width="133" height="200" />The Obama Administration launched its <a href="http://www.ntia.doc.gov/other-publication/2012/july-12-2012-privacy-multistakeholder-meeting-details">"multistakeholder" privacy deliberations</a> last week, but its difficult to see how there will be meaningful results unless Team Obama changes its tactics.<br />  <br />

FTC Turns Deaf Ear to Google’s ‘Ignorance’ Defense in Safari Snafu

July 11, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p class="story-summary"> <strong>Google may not miss the $22 million it's likely to lose over its Safari browser shenanigans, but it's probably none too pleased over earning the distinction of being socked with the biggest fine the FTC has ever levied. "It will be an official part of Google's privacy rap sheet forever," noted GoogleMonitor.com's Scott Cleland.</strong></p>

Google Prepared to Pay $22.5 Million Fine to Settle ‘Cookiegate’

July 11, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Google and the Federal Trade Commission have reportedly reached an agreement to settle charges regarding Google’s bypassing of the Safari browser’s privacy settings. The settlement, which requires Google to pay a record $22.5 million fine, will have very little impact on Google’s bottom line. However, since Google has a long list of legal conflicts in multiple countries, the negative PR will likely be harmful for the search engine.<br /> <br />

Law Enforcement Feasts on Cellphone Data

July 10, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The application of constitutional protections in the digital world is far from clear, in many cases, but law enforcement agencies aren't waiting for permission to access data -- they're bombarding providers with requests for information. "It is an outrageous intrusion on users' privacy and potentially troublesome in terms of our eroding constitutional rights," said Consumer Watchdog's John M. Simpson.</p>

Source: Google To Pay $22.5M Fine In Privacy Case

July 10, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<div id="hn-headline" itemprop="name"> SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google is poised to pay a $22.5 million fine to resolve allegations that it broke a privacy promise by secretly tracking millions of Web surfers who rely on Apple's Safari browser, according to a person familiar with settlement.</div> <p> The person who spoke to The Associated Press Tuesday asked not to be identified because the fine has yet to be approved by the Federal Trade Commission, which oversees online privacy issues in the U.S.</p>

Google Would Pay Record FTC Fine Under Tentative Apple Safari Settlement

July 10, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Google would pay $22.5 million to the Federal Trade Commission, a record fine for the agency, under a tentative deal settling allegations that the search giant bypassed privacy settings on <a data-xslt="_http" href="http://washpost.bloomberg.com/marketnews/stockdetail/?symbol=AAPL">Apple</a> computers, smartphones and tablets, according to people familiar with the agreement.</p>

Viewpoints: Google’s Self-Driving Cars Shouldn’t Violate Privacy

July 1, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> What do autonomous cars driven by robots like those Google is developing have to do with your privacy? If the answer is nothing, then why won't Google and the author of a bill to allow them on California highways accept an amendment requiring that the new technology collect only data necessary for the operation of the vehicle and no other purpose?</p>

Google Rolls Out Its Tablet

June 28, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>$199 tablet's goal: 'Simple, beautiful and really smart'</strong><br /> <br /> Google, acknowledging that the fast-emerging tablet market is too important to leave to others, said Wednesday it'll sell a tablet computer and a media player, expanding its hardware business to compete more directly with Amazon's Kindle Fire, Apple's iPad and others.<br /> <br />

The Do-Not-Track Balancing Act

June 27, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Online advertisers and privacy advocates generally agree that Do Not Track options should be available on Web browsers. However, there's much debate about whether DNT should be opt-in or opt-out. "The privacy-friendly thing is to have DNT on by default," said Consumer Watchdog's John Simpson. But advertisers say turning on DNT by default would essentially deprive consumers of choice.<br /> <br />

Activists Want Stronger Privacy Protections for Driverless Cars

June 25, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Consumer Watchdog says Google is going to go willy-nilly with data collection for autonomous vehicles, and the California bill shouldn't get the green light without more restrictions.</p> <div class="postBody txtWrap"> <p> Internet companies do whatever they want and it needs to stop, a consumer group said in<a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/ltrlowenthal062512.pdf"> an argument</a> calling for more <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-31322_3-57335792-256/self-driving-cars-yes-please-now-please/">privacy protection in robotic cars</a>.</p>

Google Says California Legislators Could Drive Away Robotic Cars

June 25, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A Google rep tells an Assembly committee that if California passes a bill that removes the ability to have driverless cars eventually, the state is telling technology providers to take autonomous cars elsewhere.<br /> <br /> During his testimony Monday, a Google representative said if California legislators amend a proposed driverless car bill to effectively forbid their "driverlessness," the state will be telling autonomous car technology to get out of town.<br /> <br />

Emotional Initiatives on Nov. Ballot

June 22, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="newstext marginMidSide"> <p> All the emotional and intellectual energy in this spring's primary election <a class="autolink" href="http://www.appeal-democrat.com/sections/campaigns-database/">campaign</a> focused on congressional and legislative races, where a rare combination of new rules and new district maps produced some entirely new kinds of results, with many upcoming runoff races featuring intra-party battles pitting Democrat against Democrat and Republican vs. Republican.</p>