News Releases

Autonomous Rules to Remain Voluntary in the U.S.

January 17, 2020  ·  Consumer Watchdog

By Paul Eisenstein, RIDE TECH BLOG January 17, 2020 https://ride.tech/mobility-lifestyle/us-dot-sec-unveils-voluntary-av-guidelines-as-congress-deadlocks-on-specific-rules/ The White House has announced plans regarding public testing of autonomous vehicles. Dubbed AV 4.0,...

US Senators Markey and Blumenthal Ask Federal Safety Regulators If Carmakers Reported Cyber Security Risks

August 22, 2019  ·  Jamie Court

Washington, DC – United States Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal today wrote the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to ask if carmakers have...

Report Finds Hacking Of Internet Connected Cars Big National Security Threat

July 31, 2019  ·  Jamie Court

Los Angeles, CA – The nonprofit group Consumer Watchdog has issued a report, with the help of car industry technologists, that finds all the top...

Consumer Watchdog and the Center for Auto Safety Urge DMV, AG, & FTC to Investigate Tesla for Deceptive Practices After Another Autopilot-Related Death

July 25, 2019  ·  Adam Scow

Los Angeles, CA — Consumer Watchdog and the Center for Auto Safety today renewed their call to the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Motor...

Consumer Watchdog Calls on Federal Trade Commission to Investigate Amazon For Unfair and Deceptive Spying Practices  

May 9, 2019  ·  Adam Scow

Los Angeles, CA — Consumer Watchdog today called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and take action against Amazon for deceptively recording consumers and  their...

Assembly Insurance Committee Members Vote to Strip Insurance Consumers of their Privacy Rights; Pass “Peeping Tom” Bill to Exempt Insurers From New Privacy Act

April 3, 2019  ·  Carmen Balber

Sacramento, CA — The members of the Assembly Insurance Committee voted unanimously today to pass AB 981 and exempt the entire insurance and financial services...

Push To Exempt Insurance Companies From California Privacy Law By Assembly Insurance Chair Tom Daly

March 28, 2019  ·  Adam Scow

Los Angeles, CA — Today Consumer Watchdog called on Assembly Insurance Committee Chair Tom Daly to withdraw legislation (AB 981) that would exempt insurance companies...

Consumer Watchdog Counters Tech Lobby Attacks In Comments to Attorney General on California’s Landmark Privacy Act

March 12, 2019  ·  Adam Scow

Sacramento—After last year’s passage of the landmark California Consumer Privacy Act, big tech companies including Google, Facebook, and the Chamber of Commerce are spending big...

Robot Cars On Average Required A Human Takeover Every 14 Miles Driven

February 14, 2019  ·  Adam Scow

Los Angeles, CA — Updated reports required by the California Department of Motor Vehicles from companies testing robot cars on California public roads reveal a...

State Reports Show That Robot Cars Aren’t Ready For Public Roads

February 13, 2019  ·  Adam Scow

Los Angeles—New reports required by the California Department of Motor Vehicles from companies testing robot cars on the state’s public roads show the technology is...

Landmark California Consumer Privacy Act Would Have Let People Block Facebook’s Sharing of Private Data, Consumer Watchdog says

December 20, 2018  ·  John M. Simpson

LOS ANGELES – Facebook’s latest revealed privacy invasion could have been thwarted if the landmark California Consumer Privacy Act were in effect and the strong...

Google’s Second Failure to Protect Data Security on Its Social Network Shows Need for California Privacy Law

December 10, 2018  ·  John M. Simpson

LOS ANGELES — Google’s revelation today that its social network Google+ suffered a second major security lapse in less than a year makes clear the...