Privacy advocates see FTC's Google decision as 'free pass' (updated)

Privacy advocates forcefully criticized the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after the agency dropped its inquiry into a privacy breach by Google.

Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, characterized the development as the FTC giving Google "a free pass." "The FTC keeps giving Google a free pass to collect consumer data card," he said. "While Canadian and other regulators are in hot pursuit of Google's WiFi data collection practices, the FTC has dropped its own investigation." He said Google's "flip flips on this issue--no we didn't collect, yes we did" are one reason a stronger investigation would have been appropriate. He also questioned whether Google's political clout helped it through the privacy debacle. "Google's political clout with the Obama administration also raises concerns that federal policymakers are fearful of taking on the online ad giant," he said.

John Simpson, director of the Inside Google Project at Consumer Watchdog, also questioned special ties between the company and the government. "Once again, Google, with its myriad of government connections, gets a free pass," he said. "At a minimum the public deserved a full report about Google's abuses from the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. Instead, the company announced a few steps that are little more than window dressing and the FTC caves in with a woefully inadequate two-page letter."

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D) suggested that the government's reasons for closing the investigation were flawed. "Rather than rely on Google's explanations and assurances, our multistate coalition, led by Connecticut, will work to confirm the facts about how this happened and how consumers will be protected going forward," he said. He said his investigation will continue "until all the facts are verified."