Privacy Board Walks Back Some Pro-Consumer Regulations, Nears CPRA Finalization
Welcome to the latest Truth in Privacy dispatch, Consumer Watchdog's tech and privacy newsletter.
Two years since the passage of the voter-approved California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), the board tasked with drawing regulations for the law is nearing the finish line.
How Consumers Lose If California’s Landmark Privacy Law is Preempted
California lawmakers enacted the nation’s strongest online privacy law in 2018 with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and voters strengthened that law’s protections at the ballot in 2020 with the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). In many areas, the law gives consumers greater protections than the federal proposal currently moving through the House, the American Data Protection and Privacy Act (ADPPA).
Consumer Watchdog and the Center for Auto Safety Urge DMV, AG, & FTC to Investigate Tesla for Deceptive Practices After Another Autopilot-Related Death
Los Angeles, CA -- Consumer Watchdog and the Center for Auto Safety today renewed their call to the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Motor Vehicles to investigate dangerously misleading and deceptive practices and representations of Tesla Motors, Inc. regarding the safety and capabilities of its Autopilot feature.
Consumer Watchdog Calls on Federal Trade Commission to Investigate Amazon For Unfair and Deceptive Spying Practices
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 children with its Echo digital assistant. Consumer Watchdog requested the investigation for the second time in two years, following a formal complaint in December of 2017 based on its study that showed Amazon and Google had submitted patents to spy on its customers when the devices were supposed to not be on.
Consumer Watchdog Warns Continuing Revolving Door of Senior Government Auto Safety Officials to Robot Car Makers Undercuts Public’s Trust in Regulations
LOS ANGELES – Consumer Watchdog today warned that an ongoing revolving door between top government auto safety officials and the manufacturers of autonomous vehicles undercuts the public’s faith in robot car regulations and government policies.
Consumer Watchdog Joins Complaint Asking FTC to Investigate Apps Which Manipulate Kids
LOS ANGELES, CA -- Consumer Watchdog today joined the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and the Center for Digital Democracy and 19 other consumer and health advocacy groups in calling on the Federal Trade Commission to hold app makers accountable for unfair and deceptive practices, including falsely marketing apps that require in-app purchases as "free" and manipulating children to watch ads and make purchases.
Consumer Watchdog Welcomes Law That Holds Websites Like Backpage Accountable for Sex Trafficking
LOS ANGELES – Consumer Watchdog today welcomed President Trump’s signing of FOSTA/SESTA into law, calling it a major victory for victims of Internet sex trafficking and their families, as well as for those hoping to hold technology companies more accountable for the content on their websites.
Liars and Loans: How Deceptive Advertisers Use Google
Google has been a prominent beneficiary of the national home loan and foreclosure crisis of the past two years.
