EFF Complaint Against Google Student Data Privacy Practices Legit, Cleland Says
The Electronic Frontier Foundation's complaint against Google on its student data tracking, collection and use practices is "serious because it alleges and provides persuasive evidence that Google continues to misrepresent its privacy practices in the same manner that the FTC…
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found illegal twice -- before the 2012 election," wrote NetCompetition Chairman Scott Cleland in a blog post Thursday. NetCompetition members include AT&T, Comcast, CTIA, NCTA and Verizon, its website said. EFF's petition filed with the FTC (see 1512010068) is a "legitimate litmus test of the FTC-Google privacy enforcement" for several reasons, said Cleland. He wrote that the FTC has known about the Google Apps for Education privacy problems for nearly two years but hasn't taken action and that EFF's petition generally reflects EU problems with Google's privacy practices. He said the FTC charged Google as a privacy violator in 2011 and 2012, but "abruptly shut down all" Google antitrust investigations after Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt was credited "with being very helpful in tilting the 2012 Presidential outcome." Cleland said state attorneys general are expected to "step up" if the FTC doesn't fulfill its enforcement role. Google has denied EFF's allegations and said it keeps students' data private and secure.