Privacy

Lawmakers Unveil Online Privacy Legislation

May 4, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <strong>Consumer and privacy groups call the draft bill weak on privacy</strong> </p> <p> The bill would put into law a weak privacy practice pervasive online today that allows companies to collect personal data if they give notice and, in some cases, get consent, added John Simpson, director of the Google privacy and accountability project at Consumer Watchdog. "I can't really say very much good about it," he said. "This bill really adopts a bankrupt notice-and-consent regime that we all know does not work." </p> <p>   </p>

New Web Ad Privacy Bill Riles All Sides

May 4, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Meanwhile, privacy advocates argue that the bill's exemption for "operational" collection of data--allowing those practices to take place under an "opt-out" rule--gives advertisers far too much leeway. "This bill really adopts an archaic and bankrupt 'notice and consent' regime that we all know doesn't' work," says John Simpson, head of the Google Privacy and Accountability project at Consumer Watchdog.

Privacy Groups, Business Firms Firing Warning Shots on New Online Ad Privacy Bill

May 4, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Privacy advocates and business groups drew early battle lines on Tuesday in the debate over a new bill to rein in Web advertisements that are based on consumers’ online shopping habits and Internet browsing histories. “While the discussion has started on this privacy issue because of this bill, I can’t really say very much good about it,” John Simpson from Consumer Watchdog later said on the call. “This bill really adopts and endorses an archaic, bankrupt notice-and-consent regime that we all know does not work.”

Boucher’s Privacy Bill Scolded by Consumer Groups

May 4, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

The quest for comprehensive, federal privacy legislation has been on many a lawmakers’ wish list for years, and two House members took the next step this week with the release of <a href="http://www.boucher.house.gov/images/stories/Privacy_Draft_5-10.pdf">draft legislation</a> that would require opt-in access to sensitive online <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/print_article2/0,1217,a=250603,00.asp?hidPrint=true#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a>, an expectation of privacy regarding third-party apps, and easily accessible privacy practices. Consumer groups, however, said the bill does not do enough and criticized provisions that would prevent stronger state laws or individual lawsuits.

Online Advertisers Targeted in Privacy Moves

May 3, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

With behavioural targeting and privacy becoming hot internet issues, a coalition of consumer and privacy advocacy groups is taking their fight for online rights to Capitol Hill. The sizeable coalition - its members are Consumer Action, Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Consumer Watchdog, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Privacy Lives, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, Privacy Times, US Public Interest Research Group and the World Privacy Forum - says industry self-regulation has not provided meaningful consumer protection and legislation is needed.

WARF Loses a Round in Stem Cell Patent Dispute

May 3, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation has suffered a blow in its effort to protect a key patent for embryonic stem cell technology. The challenges were brought by the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, Calif., and the Public Patent Foundation in New York City. The groups argued the work done in the mid-1990s by Thomson could have been done by any good scientist with access to embryos and funding. "This is a major victory for unfettered scientific research that could lead to cures for some of the most debilitating diseases," John M. Simpson, stem cell project director at the California Foundation, said in a news release.

Ohio AG backs antitrust suit against Google

May 1, 2010  ·  John M. Simpson

<p> In yet another indication of the seriousness of the mounting antitrust concerns about Goolge, the <a href="http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ohio Attorney General, Richard A. Cordray</a>, has weighed in on the side of <a href="http://mytriggers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">myTriggers</a>, an internet search firm suing <a href="http://google.com/about">Google</a> for unfair anticompetitive practices.<br /> <br /> </p>

Gathering your WiFi data – Google’s business plan

April 30, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Government data protection authorities in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/technology/30google.html" title="New York Times">Germany</a> and the <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/04/26/google_wifi_ico/" title="Register">UK</a> are questioning the collection of information on individual WiFI networks by Google’s Street View cars traversing their local streets. </p>

Jennifer Stoddart Blazes a Global Trail for Privacy Protection

April 27, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h2> Canada's Privacy Commissioner has taken on the Internet heavyweights - and transformed her office in the process</h2> <p> <img src="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/images/JenniferStoddardGlobe+Mail.jpg" hspace="7" width="#" height="#" align="left"/>...</p>

What’s In the Senate Wall Street Reform Bill?

April 27, 2010  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> <em><strong>UPDATE:</strong> The Wall Street filibuster of financial reform was broken Wednesday night. Now the Senate moves to a full and open floor debate - where the public will expect Senators to take a stand against bank lobbyists' efforts to weaken reform. </em> </p>

Watchdog Calls for Google Break-Up – Urges DoJ To Investigate

April 23, 2010  ·  John M. Simpson

John M Simpson, consumer advocate at the group, said: “Google exerts monopoly power over Internet searches, controlling 70 percent of the U.S. market.  For most Americans – indeed, for most people in the world – Google is the gateway to the Internet. How it tweaks its proprietary search algorithms can ensure a business’s success or doom it to failure.”

Google Spent $1.3 Million on Lobbying, What Are They Buying?

April 21, 2010  ·  John M. Simpson

Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, revealed today that Google upped its spending on Washington lobbyists by a mammoth 57% from the same period last year. Lobbying disclosure forms filed with the Senate Office of Public Affairs show that the firm handed over $1.3 million in the first quarter of 2010, compared with $880,000 in 2009.