Home Daily News North Carolina police issue broad warrants… Criminal Justice By Jason Tashea Posted March 27, 2018, 1:26 pm CDT Police in North Carolina are using search warrants to collect cellphone location data of individuals near a crime scene. NBC affiliate WRAL reported that the Raleigh police department used so-called reverse warrants four times last year to demand data from Google regarding user accounts in close proximity to the location of crime. Lacking specificity, these warrants do not identify a suspect. “We are willingly sharing an awful lot of our lives with Google,” Jonathan Jones, a former prosecutor and director of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition at Elon University told WRAL. “But do people understand that in sharing that information with Google, they’re also potentially sharing it with law enforcement?” The warrants pertain to people with Google accounts, which includes those with an Android operating system on … [Read more...] about North Carolina police issue broad warrants for data from Google users near crime scenes
Google Told To Pay Rs 135.86-cr Penalty for Creating Search Bias In Favour Of Its Own Services [Read Order]
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The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Thursday imposed a penalty of nearly Rs 1.36 billion on internet giant Google for abuse of its dominant position and creating a search bias in favour of its own services. The fine amounts to 5 per cent of the company’s average total revenue generated from India operations for the financial years 2013 to 2015.It was contented by the informants, Matrimony.com and Consumer Unity & Trust Society, that Google runs its core business of search and advertising in a discriminatory manner, causing harm to advertisers and indirectly to the consumers and creates an uneven playing field by favouring Google’s own services and partners, through manually manipulating its search results to the advantage of its vertical partners.It was also averred that in order to promote Google’s own vertical search sites, Google started mixing many of its vertical results into its organic search results. Therefore, when a user searches, for example, … [Read more...] about Google Told To Pay Rs 135.86-cr Penalty for Creating Search Bias In Favour Of Its Own Services [Read Order]
India imposes $21 million fine on Google for search bias
[JURIST] India's antitrust watchdog, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) [official website] on Thursday imposed [order, PDF] a USD $21.17 million fine (1.36 billion rupees) on Google for "search bias" and abuse of its dominant position. The order was passed in response to filings by Matrimony.com Limited and Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) in 2012. In a press release [text, PDF], the CCI noted that Google, "being the gateway to the internet for a vast majority of internet users due to its dominance in the online web search market, is under an obligation to discharge its special responsibility."In its 190-page ruling [text, PDF] the CCI said, "Not only does that cause direct harm to competitors in vertical markets, it also causes direct harm to other website owners, since their websites are moved down on SERP and hence, they receive fewer [sic] clicks as a result of lessened traffic. Further, this also harms consumers as they no longer receive the most relevant results … [Read more...] about India imposes $21 million fine on Google for search bias
Google faces class action lawsuit over new Pixel smartphone
[JURIST] Google is being sued in a class action lawsuit [text, PDF] filed Tuesday over alleged defects in the new Pixel smartphone. Plaintiffs claim that Google knowingly sold Pixel phones with defective microphones preventing phone call usage and other voice recognition functions. Google support agents conducted an investigation into the matter and acknowledged the defect with microphones. However, agents claim that the defect occurred in only 1 percent of products sold and assured its customers that they would be addressing the issue immediately. In addition, representatives posted on the customer service forums [website], and suggested that the defect was caused by "a hairline crack in the solder connection on the audio codec." However, the only option given to customers was to have their phones replaced under warranty. Customers who sought replacements under warranty were instructed to reach out to their service provider if their warranty expired. The complaint alleges that even … [Read more...] about Google faces class action lawsuit over new Pixel smartphone
Google app feature matching selfies to art is blocked in two states with strict biometrics laws
A popular newer feature on the Google Arts & Culture app isn’t available in Illinois and Texas, two states with strict laws on the collection of “face geometry” and other biometric data.The feature matches selfies to art work in more than 1,200 museums, producing comparisons that are appearing in many social media posts, the Washington Post reports.But Google is apparently barring the app feature in Illinois and Texas out of an abundance of caution, report the Wall Street Journal and the Chicago Tribune. The feature is also blocked outside the United States, possibly because of European privacy laws.The app uses the selfies only for art matching, and it requires the users’ consent, as required by the state biometric laws, according to the Wall Street Journal. It “is a very strange decision” on Google’s part, according to Alvaro Bedoya, executive director of the Center for Privacy & Technology at Georgetown University, who spoke with the … [Read more...] about Google app feature matching selfies to art is blocked in two states with strict biometrics laws