Consumer Watchdog Calls On Google To Testify On Your Privacy

Over the past few weeks Google has found itself in some hot water over its Privacy Policy changes on its wide range of websites, today being called by Consumer Watchdog to testify on the matter. Consumer Watchdog has called Google CEO Larry Page to the House Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee Committee as they hold hearings on the new Google privacy and data policies. Both subcommittee Chair Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) and Ranking Member G.K Butterfield, (D-NC) have been called in a letter sent today.

The privacy issues being spoken about here came into effect on March 1st and concerned Gmail, YouTube, Search services and more. The changes have been called "a simpler, more intuitive Google experience" and essentially stack all of the privacy policies from each of their many services into one big document. John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog's Privacy Project director noted the following on the subject:

"Various Google executives dispatched to Congress in the past have voiced high-sounding commitments to privacy protections, only to have them flouted by the Internet giant's later action. As Google's chief executive, the buck stops with Mr. Page. He should be called to explain the difference between his underlings' statements and the company's actions, particularly the recently announced change in Google's privacy policy and how it handles user data across its services." – Simpson

The letter in full can be seen at Consumer Watchdog's website in PDF form through a link on their story page and includes a full demand for the Google executive to stand up and explain away the concerns the public appears to have. Earlier today Microsoft spoke harshly of Google for their Safari tracking while they touted their own Internet Explorer in the process. Follow the rest of the story in our timeline below: