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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.
Smartphones Like Apple’s iPhone Hold Treasure Trove of Data on Users’ Lives

Smartphones Like Apple’s iPhone Hold Treasure Trove of Data on Users’ Lives

<p> In the sexy but increasingly scary world of smartphone forensics, insiders have a name for all the personal information purposely or unknowingly stored inside that iPhone or Android or Blackberry in your pocket.</p> <p> They call it your "digital fingerprints."</p> <p> With the right tools and physical access to your smartphone, anyone can tap into the private details of your life: texts, photos, tweets, Facebook ramblings, doctor's appointments, favorite hiking trails, and maybe even what you had for dinner last night at that little French bistro on the corner.</p>
Google Email Bid Facing Hurdles

Google Email Bid Facing Hurdles

<p> <strong>L.A.'s city controller has launched an inquiry into delays over security issues.</strong><br /> <br /> Google Inc.'s big push to supply email services to governments around the country is running into headwinds both from federal agencies and its marquee client, Los Angeles City Hall.<br /> <br />
Privacy Advocates Say McCain-Kerry Bill Falls Short

Privacy Advocates Say McCain-Kerry Bill Falls Short

<p> Consumer privacy advocates aren't blasting the online privacy bill introduced by Senators John McCain and John Kerry; but they aren't completely on board either.</p> <p> While major tech companies like <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/133516/20110412/john-mccain-john-kerry-online-privacy-privacy-rules-do-not-track.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HP and Microsoft approve of the bill</a>, consumer privacy advocates are more guarded. Consumer Watchdog and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) are saying it's merely a "good start."</p>
US Senators Introduce Online Privacy ‘Bill Of Rights’

US Senators Introduce Online Privacy ‘Bill Of Rights’

<div id="hn-headline"> WASHINGTON, D.C. — US senators John Kerry and John McCain introduced an online privacy bill Tuesday that seeks to strike a balance between protecting the personal information of Web users and the needs of businesses to conduct electronic commerce.</div> <p> The former Democratic and Republican presidential candidates said the bipartisan legislation would require companies gathering data to allow a consumer to "opt-out" of having their information collected.</p>
Legislation Would Let You Opt Out of Online Web Tracking

Legislation Would Let You Opt Out of Online Web Tracking

<p> Sens. John Kerry and John McCain proposed online privacy legislation Tuesday that for the first time would give web users the right to demand they not be tracked in cyberspace.</p> <p> Still, the measure was met with resistance from privacy advocates who said the Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights Act of 2011 did not go far enough.</p>
Kerry, McCain Introduced Online Privacy Bill

Kerry, McCain Introduced Online Privacy Bill

<p> <b>Privacy advocates criticize a bill focused on online data collection introduced Tuesday.</b></p> <p> Two high-profile U.S. senators have introduced legislation designed to give consumers more control over what information about them is collected online, but privacy advocates said the bill will do little to curb wide-spread data-collection practices now in place.</p>
McCain, Kerry Introduce Contentious Privacy Bill

McCain, Kerry Introduce Contentious Privacy Bill

<p> WASHINGTON, D.C. (Reuters) - Senators John Kerry and John McCain introduced a tough new privacy bill on Tuesday that would require companies to notify consumers in clear language when their data is being collected, and oblige them to keep that information safe from hackers.</p> <p> There are increasing concerns about the security of consumers' personal data that companies collect. Millions of people face heightened risk of email swindles after a massive security breach suffered by Epsilon, an online marketing firm that handles email marketing lists for hundreds of clients.</p>