Privacy

Google Called Upon To Make Self-Driving Car Accident Reports Public

May 11, 2015 · Mark Reback

Google’s self-driving cars are coming under fire again as the Associated Press <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/297ef1bfb75847de95d856fb08dc0687/ap-exclusive-self-driving-cars-getting-dinged-california">reported</a> that four out of forty-eight of the cars Google has driving around California have gotten into accidents since September.

There’s A Lot To Like About Europe

May 5, 2015 · John M. Simpson

There are many things I admire about Europe these days. Near the top of my list is the so-called right to be<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2869" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/images_europe_flag_0.jpg" style="width: 175px; height: 119px; float: right;" width="443" height="301" /> forgotten. And then there’s the European antitrust actions against Internet giant, Google.

California Bill Takes Aim at Home-Sharing Websites

May 5, 2015 · Mark Reback

New legislation is taking aim at online vacation rental businesses that aren’t collecting and remitting taxes from residents who rent out rooms in their homes.

Breaches Prompt Lobbying Surge Behind Cyber Bill

May 5, 2015 · Mark Reback

Corporations across a wide array of industries are lobbying hard in favor of a major cybersecurity bill, enlisting a slew of K Street firms as part of an increasingly intense push for a measure expected to reach the Senate floor as soon as this month. The number of companies and organizations hitting Capitol Hill to discuss the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) has roughly tripled over the last year, according to lobbying disclosure forms for the first three months of 2015.

Consumer Watchdog Attacks San Francisco Airbnb Restrictions As ‘Unwarranted Intrusion Into Users’ Privacy’

May 4, 2015 · Mark Reback

Consumer Watchdog, one of the state's best known consumer advocacy groups, is raising a ruckus about proposed rules it says would violate privacy rights by requiring Airbnb and similar companies to report about users' rental activities. Santa Monica-based Consumer Watchdog on Monday released a letter it sent to ShareBetter SF, a coalition of San Francisco groups that is hoping to qualify a city ballot initiative to impose stricter regulations and penalties on online short term rental platforms. Airbnb has raised similar concerns.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s Charities Rake In Cash Through ‘Behested Payments’

May 2, 2015 · Mark Reback

Just because Gov. Jerry Brown has already run his last election campaign doesn't mean wealthy contributors can no longer find a way to his heart.

Big court victory will upend secrecy in CA Legislature, open records to public

May 1, 2015 · Carmen Balber

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2867" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/images_sunshine.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 173px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="200" height="173" />A landmark court decision was announced last night that will upend secrecy in the state Legislature. In response to a lawsuit by Bay Area and Los Angeles News Groups, which had sought records from the Legislature surrounding indicted Senators Leland Yee and Ron Calderon, a judge has ruled that the legislature must turn over calendars, meeting schedules, expense and reimbursement records as public records.

California Gasoline Prices Jump Because Of Refinery Issues

April 30, 2015 · Mark Reback

To deal with the surging price of gasoline, Chenni Kaur has developed a strategy: If low on fuel near her job in downtown Los Angeles, the Sunland resident buys only a few gallons so that she can get home where prices are a little cheaper. Still, Kaur said, she is spending as much as $80 a week to fill her Toyota Sienna van, up from about $50 or $60 a few months ago. That extra money has to come from other parts of her family's budget because a 21/2-hour bus ride from home to work isn't feasible, she said.

Consumer Watchdog Calls On FCC And Justice Department To Block AT&T-DIRECTV Merger After Comcast-Time Warner Cable Deal Unravels In Face of Stiff Opposition

April 24, 2015 · John M. Simpson

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2877" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/images_fcc.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 300px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="300" height="300" />SANTA MONICA, CA – Consumer Watchdog today welcomed the demise of the Comcast -Time Warner Cable deal in the face of strong objections by federal regulators as a victory for consumers and the public interest group called on the Federal Communications Commission and Justice Department to block the pending merger of AT&T and DIRECTV.

Google’s Lobbying Budget Is the Fifth Highest

April 23, 2015 · Mark Reback

The first quarter of 2015 has seen Google’s lobbying budget soar.

Citing Privacy Concerns, Airbnb Slams Bill On Short-Term Rentals

April 21, 2015 · Mark Reback

Popular home-sharing website Airbnb is stepping up its opposition to the first statewide measure aiming to regulate short-term rentals, arguing the proposal would harm consumer privacy. Airbnb has faced scores of regulatory fights on the local level, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-adv-airbnb-politics-20150405-story.html#page=1">including in Los Angeles</a>, but the skirmish over a bill by Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) marks the first major test for the rapidly-growing company in the state Capitol.

Google and Comcast Lobbying Spending Soars In First Quarter of 2015