Privacy

‘Abstain’ Tactic Kills Bills

December 8, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> When a bill to increase penalties for selling methamphetamine came before an Assembly committee in April, no one voted against it. It failed anyway. The bill vote, like half of all failed votes this legislative session, fell victim to expressed indifference - too many legislators abstained or didn't show up. Legislators are elected to make decisions on behalf of their constituents, said Jamie Court, president of Santa Monica-based nonprofit Consumer Watchdog, which published a study on legislative abstentions five years ago. "Not voting is really the dirty little secret of why there is so much gridlock in Sacramento," said Court, whose organization, which leans left, was formerly called the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "If you are elected to represent your district, you really should vote on any bill." </p>

Giving Obama A Picture of What’s on Your Mind — BarackandMe.com

December 4, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Can you believe what it takes to get President Obama's ear these days? You shouldn’t have to crash a White House party to be heard in Washington, so we set up <a href="http://www.barackandme.com">BarackAndMe.com</a>. </p>

Judge Rejects Amazon Bid To Scrap Google Pact

December 2, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

NEW YORK  - A federal judge has rejected Amazon.com Inc's request that he withdraw preliminary approval of a settlement between Google Inc and groups of authors and publishers to digitize millions of books. Critics of the deal have been a varied group that includes Amazon, Yahoo, Microsoft, the National Writers Union, Consumer Watchdog and singer Arlo Guthrie.

‘Breasts and Bureaucrats’ Day in the U.S. Senate

December 2, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> I about fell over today when Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana declared himself concerned about 'threats' to women's breast care under the health reform bill. Vitter? The uberconservative known primarily for his <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/09/AR2007070902030.html">close ties to a D.C. prostitution ring</a>? I was laughing so hard I couldn't hear all he said. Maybe he offered free manual breast exams: "Not just for free--I'll pay you!" </p>

Can Google Be Trusted? No: The Search Engine Must Do More To Protect Private Data

November 29, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Few doubt that Internet giant Google is succeeding in its audacious corporate mission "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." The problem is that the mission puts Google directly at odds with our privacy rights, and Google appears unwilling to give consumers enough control. </p>

The Art of Politics…And Science of Campaign Strategy

November 25, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> The LA Times and Sacbee got <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/Murphy%20Memo.pdf">this (formerly) confidential memo</a> from McCain-Schwarzenegger guru Mike Murphy to California GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner from the summer of '08.  It's in the <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/027369.html?mi_rss=Capitol%20Alert">news today</a> because Murphy has just jumped on board Meg Whitman's campaign against Poizner. </p>

Arnold should give Prop 11 money back to Ponzi schemer

November 18, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Oh, this is rich... <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/027144.html"> The Sacramento Bee reports</a> that Arnold collected $250K last year to finance his political reform ballot measure, Prop 11, from Scott Rothstein, the guy who is now being accused of running a massive Ponzi-style investment fraud in Florida.

Faigman v. AT&T Mobility LLC

November 18, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <strong><em>Faigman v. AT&T Mobility LLC</em></strong><br /> U.S. District Court - Northern District of California<br /> Case3:06-cv-04622-MHP<br /> <br /> Suit Against Cingular (Now AT&T) for Providing Customers "Rewards Cards"...<strong><em>Faigman v. AT&T Mobility LLC</em></strong><br /> U.S. District Court - Northern District of California<br /> Case3:06-cv-04622-MHP<br /> <br /> Suit Against Cingular (Now AT&T) for Providing Customers "Rewards Cards" Instead of Rebates<br /> <br />

Lily Tomlin shreds insurance companies–Yay!

November 18, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Remember Ernestine, Lily Tomlin's <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=Liley+tomline+Ernestine&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a">phone operator?</a> Tomlin's now hilariously doing the same chop job on health insurance companies, on behalf of <a href="http://www.californiaonecare.org/">friends of single-payer health care</a>. Great way to spend 30 seconds while we wait to see what half-baked legislation the Senate is about to spring loose. 

Antitrust Concerns Linger In Google Books Deal

November 16, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

The revised Google Books settlement agreement may quiet international opponents, but it still gives Google a monopoly on commercializing out-of-print books where the copyrights are unclaimed and fails to protect consumer privacy, opponents said on Monday. Also troubling to critics is the fact that the revised settlement circumvents traditional copyright provisions by allowing Google to digitize orphan works without first getting rights holder permission, while any Google competitors are blocked from doing so barring legislation granting them licensing rights. "For the millions of volumes of orphan books that Google has already scanned in, they can offer those without risk of anyone coming forward and suing them for infringement," said John Simpson, a consumer advocate at Consumer Watchdog.<br><br>

Alameda County DA To Investigate Attorney General’s Office

November 16, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley received a letter today from Attorney General Jerry Brown asking her to investigate covert recordings of conversations with news reporters made by a former Brown spokesman.

Political Parties, Candidates Cashing In On Pay-To-Play Issues Forums

November 15, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Top industry executives piled into Google's Silicon Valley headquarters over the weekend to hear California's Barbara Boxer, New Mexico's Jeff Bingaman and other Democratic senators discuss some of the most pressing policy issues on Capitol Hill. Consumer Watchdog urged the seven Democratic senators on the agenda for the weekend's Google event to boycott it, since it created the appearance of "pay-to-play politics when so many issues of concern to Google and the rest of the Silicon Valley technology community are on the table." </p>