Privacy

Connecticut AG’s Wi-Spy Deal With Google Shows Need for Congressional Hearings, Consumer Watchdog Says

January 28, 2011  ·  John M. Simpson

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-19816" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/googleembedded1.jpg" style="width: 120px; height: 90px; float: right;" width="120" height="90" />SANTA MONICA, CA — Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen’s deal with Google announced today makes it clear that Congressional hearings will be necessary if the American public is to understand fully what happened in the Wi-Spy scandal, Consumer Watchdog said.<br /> <br />

Consumer Watchdog Blasts Google’s Schmidt

January 27, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group that has focused much of its attention in recent years on Google’s privacy practices, debuted its new animated satire -- “Mr. Schmidt Goes to Washington” -- on the streets of Washington DC, as part of its case for why Congress should call Google CEO Eric Schmidt to testify under oath about the Wi-Spy scandal and other online privacy issues, and also said the company’s close ties to the National Security Agency should be investigated.</p>

Consumer Critic Dings Outgoing Google CEO in Carton Video

January 27, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="field field-type-emvideo field-field-video"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="emvideo emvideo-video emvideo-youtube"> <div class="emfield-emvideo emfield-emvideo-youtube"> <div id="emvideo-youtube-flash-wrapper-1"> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBMPphy9gFg"><img alt="See video" height="350" src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/IBMPphy9gFg/0.jpg" title="See video" width="425" /></a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>

Consumer Watchdog Portrays Schmidt As Lunatic Senate Witness

January 26, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> As Eric Schmidt plans his transition from Google's chief executive into a role has a greater focus on government outreach, ardent Google critic and privacy advocate Consumer Watchdog has found a not-so-friendly way to welcome him to Washington. </p>

Google Critic Calls for Probe

January 24, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> One of Google’s biggest critics is now urging new House Republican leaders to investigate the search giant’s ties to the Obama administration.<br /> <br /> The request Monday comes from Consumer Watchdog, which is asking Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) to wield his “subpoena power if necessary” to bring soon-departing Google CEO Eric Schmidt before his oversight committee this year. The group hopes Issa will investigate “several areas where we believe Google has inappropriately benefited from close ties to the administration.”<br /> <br />

Group Urges Congress To Investigate Google’s Relationship With Government Agencies

January 24, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A <a href="http://insidegoogle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/GOOGGovfinal012411.pdf">new report by Consumer Watchdog</a> accuses the Obama administration of having an inappropriately close relationship with Google, allowing the company to escape scrutiny.<br /> <br /> The group released the report Monday, <a href="http://insidegoogle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/LtrIssa012411final.pdf">along with a letter</a> calling on House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., to investigate Google's relationship with government agencies.<br /> <br />

Issa Urged to Probe Google’s ‘Cozy’ Relationship with Obama Administration

January 24, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Google's close relationship with the Obama administration has allowed the search giant inappropriate benefits such as access to a NASA airfield and lowered scrutiny on its private practices, according to a new report from Consumer Watchdog.</p>

Consumer Watchdog Calls for Investigation of Google

January 24, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <b>The group asks Congress to check on Google's 'cozy' relationship with the Obama administration</b></p> <p> Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group largely focused in recent years on Google's privacy practices, has called on a congressional investigation into the Internet giant's "cozy" relationship with U.S. President Barack Obama's administration.</p>

Google’s Close Ties With Obama Administration Reap Rewards, Consumer Group Alleges

January 24, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> A consumer group is calling for a congressional investigation into allegations that Internet giant Google turned close ties to the Obama administration into corporate benefits. The group, Consumer Watchdog, alleges in a 32-page report that Google has used its connections to gain “unique access” to the government's Moffett Field located near Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.<br />  <br />

Group Critical of Google’s Government Relationship

January 24, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=7916969">Click here to view the video</a> of the broadcast segment for this story.</p> <p> MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (KGO) -- A consumer advocacy group is calling for a congressional investigation into what it says is Google's "cozy relationship" with the federal government, specifically, the Obama administration. At issue is Google's use of Moffett Field, owned and operated by NASA, which is just a few miles away from Google headquarters in Mountain View.</p>

Schmidt out of Google’s CEO office, but is privacy in?

January 22, 2011  ·  Jamie Court

<p> Google CEO Eric Schmidt will be <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/20/eric-schmidt-google-ceo-larry-page_n_811820.html" target="_hplink" rel="noopener">leaving</a> the CEO's office and founder Larry Page will be stepping in. The question is whether this is a signal from the Internet Goliath that Schmidt's missteps and misstatements about online privacy are no longer company policy.</p>

Google CEO Surprise: Larry Page Replacing Eric Schmidt

January 21, 2011  ·  Mark Reback

<p> Google CEO Eric Schmidt, brought in a decade ago to provide suit-and-tie management to the search giant, had a Twitter-size explanation for stepping aside Thursday to make way for the return of co-founder Larry Page.</p> <p class="inside-copy"> "Day-to-day adult supervision no longer needed!" Schmidt said on his Twitter feed as word of Google's unexpected shake-up spread.</p>