September 17, 2007

EPIC, CDD, U.S. PIRG Urge More Scrutiny Into Proposed Google-DoubleClick Merger

The U.S. government still needs to block or impose conditions on Google Inc.'s acquisition of online advertising server DoubleClick Inc., despite Google's call for global privacy standards, three privacy groups said today. Google last Friday called for a global privacy standard, and the company referred to a framework designed by Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). But the APEC standard is "weak," Melissa Ngo, director of the Identification and Surveillance Project at the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), said during a press conference today. The APEC standard "puts the burden on consumers to prove they are being harmed," she said.

Privacy groups: Google's call for standard not enough, Computerworld, September 17, 2007.