Privacy

Blue Shield admits to overcharging California customers by about half a billion since 2010

October 13, 2011  ·  Doug Heller

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2279" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/images_dougdrawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; float: right;" width="133" height="200" />It is a <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/blue-shield-of-california-to-give-back-295-million-to-fulfill-2-percent-net-income-pledge-for-2011-2011-10-13">masterful spin by the self-described not-for-profit Blue Shield of California</a> to announce that it is returning all but two percent of its profits to its customers, as though this were some act of humble generosity.  It’s a little like a supermarket announcing that from now on it’s going to give

Social Security Kept Silent About Private Data Breach

October 13, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> WASHINGTON, DC -- The Social Security Administration has failed to inform tens of thousands of Americans that it accidentally released their names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers in an electronic database widely used by U.S. business groups.<br /> <br />

Websites Share User Data More Often Than Previously Thought

October 12, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <b>A study finds the practice of sending personal information to advertisers and others is pervasive, though not necessarily intentional, on some of the more popular websites.</b></p> <p> Reporting from Washington and San Francisco -- Popular websites are disclosing personal information to advertisers and others more often than previously believed, according to new research, and the finding is renewing calls to let Internet users block companies from tracking their online surfing.</p>

Websites Leak More Info Than Consumers Are Aware Of

October 12, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="printarticle"> <h1> <img alt="Photo" border="0" src="http://www.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20111011&t=2&i=514204283&w=250&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=BTRE79A1AOG00" /></h1> <p> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Consumers are less anonymous than they think while surfing the Web, according to a study released on Tuesday that triggered new calls for "do not track" rules.</p>

Stanford Researcher Finds Lots of Leaky Web Sites

October 12, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> The Web is porous. Remarkable information trickles in from everywhere. It also sometimes spills out without its users knowing exactly where or how.</p>

Popular Websites Share User Information, Email Addresses, Stanford Study Finds

October 12, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <span id="mn_Article">By signing onto many of the most popular sites on the Web, you may be unknowingly sharing your email address or name with other websites and data collection companies that help target online advertising, according to a <a href="http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/node/6740"><strong>study</strong></a> by Stanford computer science researchers that sparked new calls for "Do Not Track" laws after its release Tuesday.</span></p>

Websites Lying About Information Shared – Little Anonymity Online

October 12, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <a href="http://www.tech-progress.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/mayer.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-1986" height="199" src="http://www.tech-progress.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/mayer.jpg" title="mayer" width="146" /></a></p> <p> Websites lie about what private information they are sharing with other sites, including advertising sites like Doubleclick.</p>

INITIATIVE ANNIVERSARY: 100 Years of Ballot-Box Battles – Political Process Still Controversial

October 11, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> SACRAMENTO - If Hiram Johnson, the California governor who campaigned in 1910 vowing to bring the initiative process to state voters and then delivered on that promise a year later, were alive today, he would not be surprised by the criticisms leveled against the state's now century-old process of direct democracy.<br /> <br /> Back in the day, he had heard them all before.<br /> <br />

Privacy Groups Hoping Study Prompts Action

October 11, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Many websites reveal even more personal information about consumers -- such as their user names and e-mail addresses -- than they previously admitted to, according to a study released on Tuesday. Privacy advocates quickly said the report supports their complaints and that they plan to use it to pressure Congress to pass do-not-track legislation.</p>

Privacy Study: Top U.S. Websites Share Visitor Personal Data

October 11, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A study released Tuesday shows that 45% of the top 185 U.S. websites transmit identifying details about their visitors to at least four outside websites.</p> <p> The data transmitted was primarily a “username” – which is the name a person uses to log into a website – or a user ID assigned by the website to a user. It was usually transmitted through referrers – which is information about the web page transmitted automatically.</p>

“Yes” to Autism Therapy, “No” to Budget Reform: Brown

October 10, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <b>California insurers will have to cover behavioral treatments for autism</b></p> <p>  </p> <div class="leadImageLarge" id="leadImage"> <div class="imageCaptureLarge"> <img alt="Bills Brown Signed, Vetoed Over Weekend" height="368" src="http://media.nbclosangeles.com/images/654*368/jerry+brown+no+trophy+thumbnail.jpg" width="654" /></div> <p align="right" class="imageCredit"> Getty Images</p>

You Can Join Consumer Groups’ Washington Online Privacy Discussion

October 9, 2011  ·  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" />Do you care about online privacy? Then join me on Tuesday morning at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, where a coalition of ten consumer and privacy groups including Consumer Watchdog are hosting a discussion on data collection and privacy.</p> <p> If you can't make it you can follow the event <a href="http://www.visualwebcaster.com/ProtectingConsumerPrivacyOnline">on the Web</a>.</p>