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Privacy

Consumer Watchdog investigations and advocacy on data privacy, surveillance, AI, and your right to control your personal information.
Mimes Aren’t Silent in Capital Hill Attack on Google

Mimes Aren’t Silent in Capital Hill Attack on Google

<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

Eric Schmidt Google Senate Hearing – Live Updates

<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

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

<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>
Protest of the Week: Mimes on Capitol Hill

Protest of the Week: Mimes on Capitol Hill

<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

Google Under Government Pressure

<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

Consumer Watchdog Channeling Marcel Marceau

<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?

Is Your Smartphone Stalking You?

<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.

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

<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?

Last Night Of CA Legislature, What Damage Done?

<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

Google’s Monopoly Power Raises More Concerns

<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>