Consumer Watchdog Losing Credibility With Google Feud?

03.09.2010
Consumer Watchdog, a consumer advocacy group that has criticized Google for its privacy policies, featuring Google's chief executive creepily selling ice cream to children and saying, "There's no such thing as a free ice cream. ... Now, hold still while we collect some of your secrets."

The commercial, which plays in Time Square until Oct. 15, also urges those watching to contact their members of Congress to protest Google and other Internet companies collecting information without permission, as well as asking for a  "Do Not Track Me" list. Google was singled out for its said spokesman John Simpson.

Previously, Consumer Watchdog hammered Google for spying on members of Congress by while the search engine giant's vans were mapping out its Google Street View. The information was taken from the politicians' unsecured home wireless networks. Google said that it had collected the information accidentally and had isolated the material so it could not be used.  But no one seemed to be more critical than Consumer Watchdog, whose harsh criticism seemed to be a bit off-key. While Google did take information that wasn't expressly given to them, unsecured networks are available for anyone, even someone walking down the street to see.

The incident did with many questioning Google's motives for data collection and sparking a backlash against the company's latest user tracking . Some questioned if Google's "Don't be evil" motto was in jeopardy.

But the latest volley from Consumer Watchdog, using CEO Eric Schmidt as a grotesque cartoon figure peddling ice cream to children, is way over the top.  There can be little doubt that the group is more than a little biased against the Internet titan and it should be making more people question the advocacy group's credibility. Are these people really out for your best interests or their own?

While I'm not saying that there isn't a valid argument for a "Do Not Track" list, Consumer Watchdog has given up any semblance of objectivity by continuing to target Google as Internet privacy's foe. Surely Facebook has given its users , and hackers have routinely targeted big box stores to steal credit card numbers, so is the group setting its sights on Schmidt?