Consumer Watchdog is calling on the FTC to take action against Google for allegedly sharing users’ information with apps developer. And they want hefty fines.
The group also asked California Attorney General Kamala Harris to investigate whether Google’s actions also violate California law.
In a seven-page formal letter of complaint to Charles A. Harwood, the FTC’s Acting Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, Simpson, wrote:
“To no one’s surprise (and the Commission’s prior statements notwithstanding), the press is now awash in reports that Google has violated the Buzz Order yet again – and this time in a most substantive and egregious manner, by giving personal and closely held information from tens (if not hundreds) of millions of Android users to independent and unrestrained application developers, in contravention of Google’s own stated privacy policy (as well as its obligations under the Buzz Order). This represents the fifth significant misuse of confidential user data by Google in the last three years (previously, the “Wi-Spy” scandal, the Google Buzz fiasco, Google’s improper combining and use of personal data, and the Safari Hacking episode).”
Read Consumer Watchdog’s letter to the FTC here:http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/ltrftc022513.pdf and their press release here.