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Consumer Watchdog

Privacy

Consumer Watchdog investigations and advocacy on data privacy, surveillance, AI, and your right to control your personal information.
Consumer Advocates Say Probe of Carrier Privacy Practices Overdue

Consumer Advocates Say Probe of Carrier Privacy Practices Overdue

<p> The FCC is asking about the security practices of carriers with respect to customer information stored on customer devices and the application of existing privacy and security requirements to that information. The Wireline and Wireless bureaus and General Counsel's Office jointly made the request in a public notice. It follows a series of questions from Capitol Hill about Carrier IQ software, raised by Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and others in Congress (WID Dec 5 p5).<br /> <br />
Consumer Group Says Self-Driving Cars Pose Privacy Risk

Consumer Group Says Self-Driving Cars Pose Privacy Risk

<p> A consumer group says a bill that would allow self-driving cars on California's roads does not do enough to protect privacy.</p> <p> The bill, SB 1298, sponsored by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), has passed the California Senate and is awaiting Assembly consideration in June. It establishes guidelines for "autonomous vehicles" to be tested and operated in California.</p> <p> It has flown through the Legislature, passing the Senate unanimously.</p>
California Offers First Test Case for Google’s Robot Cars

California Offers First Test Case for Google’s Robot Cars

<p> More Americans are starting to pay attention to the lack of privacy while online.<br /> <br /> Two events that have been part of this awakening:<br /> <br /> 1) News that Google's Street View picture-snapping cars also collected private information from homes it passed by.<br /> <br /> 2) The constant difficulty of maintaining proper privacy settings on Facebook (have you tried to find the privacy settings tab lately?)<br /> <br />
European Regulators Put Google in the Hot Seat on Privacy Changes

European Regulators Put Google in the Hot Seat on Privacy Changes

<p> European privacy regulators are breathing down Google's neck over the changes the search giant recently made to its policies. CNIL has pelted Google with numerous requests for details about how it would execute its policies, and so far isn't satisfied with the answers it's been getting. Stonewalling is Google's M.O. when it comes to regulatory requests, said John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog's privacy project director.</p>
They’re Finally Getting Google’s Number

They’re Finally Getting Google’s Number

<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" />Consumer Watchdog has long held the view that Google's executives are hypocrites, claiming their mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful, while remaining deeply secretive about the company's activities.</p>
Consumer Watchdog Counters Google’s FOIA Objections in FCC Wi-Spy Probe

Consumer Watchdog Counters Google’s FOIA Objections in FCC Wi-Spy Probe

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-20122" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/googleembedded1_2_0.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 150px; float: right;" width="120" height="90" />SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today countered Google’s objections to the Federal Communications Commission’s release of detailed documents about the Commission’s investigation<br /> of how Google hacked into private Wi-Fi networks and sought broad disclosure of the documents’ contents.<br /> <br />
Privacy Worries Dog Facebook Ahead of IPO

Privacy Worries Dog Facebook Ahead of IPO

<p> NEW YORK, NY -- Some 900 million people like Facebook. But when they realize their private information is being bought and sold, some don't like it so much.<br /> <br /> The question of privacy and the use of personal data is a key issue for Facebook as the booming social network prepares to list on Wall Street.<br /> <br /> That is because the freewheeling world of social media must give way to a business model of using the personal information on Facebook as a commodity for marketing and advertising.<br /> <br />
Google Wi-Spy Scandal Heats Up

Google Wi-Spy Scandal Heats Up

<p> In its relatively short lifespan, Google has turned into a real-life Zardoz, the all-knowing stone head that dominates a post-apocalyptic Earth in the 1974 science fiction film of the same name. But unlike the openly malevolent Zardoz, Google cloaks itself in a do-no-evil mantle.</p> <p> But that mantle, like the curtain that shielded the ill-fated Wizard of Oz, may be wearing a bit thin as critics question how much Google knew about the rogue engineer supposedly responsible for Google's gathering of massive payloads of data from private Wi-Fi networks.</p>
Google Street View Controversy Continues to Roil

Google Street View Controversy Continues to Roil

<p> <b>A consumer advocacy group wants all the documents connected with the FCC's investigation, while some European regulators may give the Google program a new look.</b></p> <p> The controversy surrounding Google’s Street View initiative collecting personal data from unprotected private WiFi networks is not dying out, fueled by revelations that a company engineer told colleagues about the private information that was being gathered.</p>