Privacy

Giffords’ Detailed Updates, Jobs’ Nondisclosure

January 20, 2011 · Mark Reback

Stark Contrast in Details on Giffords, Jobs Why is the public getting such detailed information about Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' medical condition and none about Steve Jobs? Both are public figures of intense national interest.

Google’s CEO Switch Could Be a Risky Move

January 20, 2011 · Mark Reback

Some wonder if Google co-founder Larry Page is up to the mammoth task of running such a large, powerful and increasingly diverse company Google's decision to change CEOs, announced on the same day it reported yet another blockbuster quarter, begs the question of whether the company is trying to fix something that isn't broken.

Auditor Find State Employees Abused and Wasted Money

January 18, 2011 · Mark Reback

<a href="http://www.capradio.org/157375">Click here to listen to the audio of this broadcast</a>. The State Auditor’s office has identified more than 400-thousand dollars wasted or abused by California employees in the first half of 2010. Sacramento, CA -- The audit found the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spent more than 360-thousand dollars on a 35-month investigation of a psychiatrist. It found an employee at Kern Valley State Prison who took 2-hour lunch breaks was paid more than 23-thousand dollars for them.

Google Faces Legal Challenges Worldwide

January 14, 2011 · John M. Simpson

It's been a tough week for Google as it faced legal challenges from around the world, the most prominent being that <a href="http://www.justice.gov/">Department of Justice </a>antitrust staff is preparing for the possibility of a suit to block the Internet giant's acquisition of the travel software company,<a href="http://www.itasoftware.com/"> ITA</a>.

Stearns Plans to Introduce Privacy Bill

January 14, 2011 · Mark Reback

Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., plans to pick up where he and former Rep.Rick Boucher, D-Va., left off in the last Congress in trying to craft an online privacy bill. Stearns is reworking the draft bill he helped develop with Boucher, who was defeated in November, to address concerns raised about the measure in comments provided to the lawmakers last year. "Rep. Stearns has taken those comments and is working with stakeholders on developing legislation that he plans to offer soon," a Stearns spokesman said.

Facebook App Enables Users to Suggest Presidential Priorities

January 13, 2011 · Mark Reback

Lost in the Cloud: Google and the U.S. Government

January 12, 2011 · John M. Simpson

An ambitious quest for influence with the U.S. government is starting to pay off for tech giant Google, a Consumer Watchdog investigation has found. Read...

Wi-Spying Broke South Korean Law; Multi-state Probe Continues

January 6, 2011 · John M. Simpson

South Korean police said Thursday that Google broke the country's privacy laws when its Street View cars gathered personal information from private Wi-Fi networks. Meanwhile, in the United States, a spokeswoman for <a href="http://www.ct.gov/ag/site/default.asp">Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen</a> told me in a telephone call that the multi-state investigation into Wi-Spy is ongoing.

FTC Chairman Explains Do Not Track Rules

January 4, 2011 · John M. Simpson

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz, <a href="http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2011/01/03/ftc-chairman-do-not-track-rules-would-help-web-thrive-jon-leibowitz.html">writing in U.S. News & World Report</a> this week, offers one of the clearest explanations I've seen of why consumers need a Do Not Track Me function to protect their privacy as they surf the Web.

Don’t Be Evil When You Sell, And Other Retail Resolutions

December 31, 2010 · Mark Reback

Apple Lets Mobile Trackers Have a Field Day, Alleges Consumer Lawsuit

December 28, 2010 · Mark Reback

Apple is in the sights of privacy advocates concerned over the lack of controls to prevent abuses in the mobile world. "At least in the wired or online world, the consumer has some kind of privacy policy on which to rely... [that] will give some kind of idea of what is happening with your information," said consumer advocate John Simpson, "but in the mobile environment, there is zero transparency."

California’s Constitution Demands We Lead The Way In Online Privacy

December 27, 2010 · Jamie Court

Google and Facebook were born in California. In an op-ed in today's <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-court-privacy-20101227,0,351983.story">Los Angeles Times</a>, I argue California's constitution, which has among the strongest privacy protections in America, demands that the state take the lead on online privacy legislation if Congress refuses.

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