Privacy

“Google Track Team” covers Washington DC during Schmidt’s hearing

September 21, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

Here's a round-up of articles, quotes, pics and video of today's events around Washington DC covering our "Google Track Team", in town to draw attention to Google's creepy tracking and anti-trust behavior during Google CEO Eric Schmidt's testimony before Congress:

Mimes Aren’t Silent in Capital Hill Attack on Google

September 21, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="postBody txtWrap"> <div class="cnet-image-div image-REGULAR float-none" style="width: 605px"> <img alt="" class="cnet-image" height="554" src="http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/09/21/mime1.jpg" width="605" /> <p class="image-caption"> People flee before the Google-bashing mimes.</p> <span class="image-credit">(Credit: Greg Sandoval/CNET)</span></div> <p> WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Staffers in the U.S. Senate were spied on today--not by any one of our country's enemies. They were tailed by that most unholy of creatures: the mime.</p>

Eric Schmidt Google Senate Hearing – Live Updates

September 21, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <strong>The Google chairman, Eric Schmidt, faces a Senate grilling over the power of the internet giant. </strong></p> <p> <strong><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2011/sep/21/eric-schmidt-google-senate-hearing?INTCMP=SRCH">Click here to read the entire post</a>.</strong></p>

Google Gets Grief From Senators, Mimes, And An Ice Cream Truck

September 21, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="body"> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_10142" style="width: 250px"> <a href="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/kashmirhill/files/2011/09/Gantitrust-003.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-10142 " height="134" src="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/kashmirhill/files/2011/09/Gantitrust-003-300x168.jpg" title="Gantitrust 003" width="240" /></a> <p class="wp-caption-text"> Consumer Watchdog sent a "Google Ice Cream Truck" to an exec's home Wednesday morning</p>

What Was Up With The Creepy ‘Google Track Team’ Mimes In The Senate?

September 21, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="meta "> <div class="meta_module"> <img src="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/assets_c/2011/09/Google-Track-Team-cropped-proto-custom_2.jpg" /><br /> <div class="caption"> Consumer Watchdog's "Google Track Team" await Google's CEO, Eric Schmidt.</div> </div> </div> <div class="entry_text"> <br /> <p>

Protest of the Week: Mimes on Capitol Hill

September 21, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> It's a lousy radio story.  But here's my vote for the most creative protest this week.</p> <p> The press release from Consumer Watchdog promises "a troupe of mimes – dressed in white “Google Track Team” suits and wearing Google “Wi-Spy” glasses – will follow people around Dirksen Senate Office Building where the Judiciary hearing will be held. They will dramatize how Google is recording everything consumers do on the Internet."</p> <p> Will post pictures when I spot them.</p>

Google Under Government Pressure

September 21, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p id="listenButton"> <a class="listenStory" href="http://marketplace.publicradio.org/www_publicradio/tools/media_player/popup.php?name=marketplace/morning_report/2011/09/21/marketplace_morning_report0450_20110921_64&starttime=00:00:26.0&endtime=00:02:04.0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Listen to this Story</a></p> <p class="blurb"> Google's chairman Eric Schmidt will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee today. The tech company is under scrutiny for possible antitrust violations and uncompetitive practices.</p>

Consumer Watchdog Channeling Marcel Marceau

September 20, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Who needs a lobbyist when you can hire a mime to get your message across to lawmakers?</p> <p> While talk is currency in Washington, Consumer Watchdog is taking the opposite tack by hiring people who don't talk to highlight the group's concerns over how Google collects information about Internet users.</p>

Is Your Smartphone Stalking You?

September 19, 2011  ·  Jamie Court

<p> <img class=" size-full wp-image-2211" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_jamie5drawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px;" width="133" height="200" />Google executive Eric Schmidt will finally testify on Capitol Hill this week after our year and a half long campaign to bring him to the Congress.<br /> <br />

Political Theater Will Follow Google’s Schmidt to D.C.

September 18, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> When Google chairman Eric Schmidt heads to Washington this week to <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20085029-261/googles-schmidt-to-testify-before-congress-on-sept-21/" title="Google's Schmidt to testify before Congress on Sept. 21 -- Thursday, Jul 28, 2011">testify before Congress</a>, political theater will follow him.</p>

Last Night Of CA Legislature, What Damage Done?

September 10, 2011  ·  Jamie Court

<p> <img class=" size-full wp-image-2238" alt="" class="set right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/jamiec-1a.jpg" style="width: 100px; height: 150px; " width="100" height="150" />The clock ticking down on the last night in the California statehouse is always a lot like waiting for last call at a rowdy bar around 2 AM -- you wonder how much damage will done before the last shot. </p>

Google’s Monopoly Power Raises More Concerns

September 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" />More examples of Google's powerful grip on the Internet surfaced this week and its acquisition of the venerable restaurant reviewer, <a data-mce-href="http://www.zagat.com/" href="http://www.zagat.com/">Zagat</a>, raised new concern about how the Internet giant will use its monopoly power in the future.</p>