EPIC reacts to Google privacy violations, files complaint with FTC

[djbaxter]

EPIC: GOOGLE MAY HAVE BROKEN WIRETAP LAW
by Bob Sullivan, Red Tape Chronicles
Wednesday, February 17 2010

If Google wanted to create a quick buzz around its new social networking service, it's certainly accomplished that. Last week, when the Web giant automatically signed up millions of Gmail users for its new Buzz social network, much of the Internet was sent into a privacy tizzy.

Google announced serious modifications to the service later in the week, but that wasn?t enough for the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC). On Tuesday, it filed a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, asking the regulator to order more changes. EPIC also accused Google of violating federal consumer protection law and suggested the firm may have broken wiretap laws, too.

Full article

 

[djbaxter]

Disabling The Google Toolbar Doesn’t Stop Google From Tracking You
by Barry Schwartz, Search Engine Land
Jan 26, 2010

Ben Edelman uncovered evidence that even if you disable the Google Toolbar, Google may still be tracking your web browsing behavior.

Edelman documents how he disabled the Google Toolbar within the preference, then visited a web page and captured how Google was sending browsing data from the toolbar to Google’s servers. Edelman first clicked the “X” icon at the top left of the Google Toolbar. Then he selected “Disable Google Toolbar only for this window,” and clicked “okay.” While in the same window, requested the Whitehouse.gov site. He noticed that his network monitor showing that the Google Toolbar continued to transmit his browsing to its toolbarqueries.google.com server.

Edelman posted a video screen cast documenting this process.

Full story