Consumer Group Slams Google's Orwellian "Intrusion-is-Privacy" Policy; Demands An Opt-out Option

EAST LOS ANGELES, Calif., Jan. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consejo de Latinos Unidos, a national consumer advocacy group and public charity which educates and assists Latinos and others, slammed Google today for utilizing the consolidation of its numerous privacy policies as a jumping board to intrude on the privacy and trample the civil liberties of private individuals with no opt-out option.

"Google's insidious and deceptive action to force hundreds of millions of Android, Gmail, Google TV, and Internet users to be tracked by Google and have their personal information stored by Google with no opt-out option is disgraceful and predatory," declared K.B. Forbes, Executive Director of the Consejo. "We are unequivocally demanding that Google immediately amend its Orwellian 'Intrusion-is-Privacy' Policy and include an opt-out option before March 1st." On Tuesday, Google announced it would consolidate over 70 different privacy policies and implement a single universal privacy policy with no opt-out option on March 1st.

Forbes noted, "Initially, many Google products and services, including Android platform-based Smartphones, were forcing consumers to establish Google accounts before becoming fully-operational. Now these private individuals and millions of other consumers across the globe are having the rules changed and forced upon them with no opt-out option, no means to protect their privacy, no way to say 'no' and 'mind your own business' to Larry and Sergey."

According to Forbes, the Consejo will file complaints with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, numerous state consumer protection agencies, and European authorities if Google does not include an opt-out option. In addition, the group will seek legal recourse for what appears to be "deceptive and predatory business practices" by the Internet giant, and find avenues to protect the civil liberties of consumers from Google's unyielding encroachment.

"Using blatant doublespeak, Google's public relations people are trying to sell this intrusion-is-privacy policy as some kind of streamlined consolidation that protects privacy.  In reality, with no opt-out, Google does the opposite: strip consumers naked of any privacy," Forbes added.

Since 2001, the Consejo has published ten investigative reports and brought about industry changing practices. The efforts of the Consejo have provoked hearings and probes by several governmental bodies and agencies including the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Office of the U.S. Attorney General.

SOURCE Consejo de Latinos Unidos