California Assemblyman Joel Anderson is proposing a measure that would force Google to blur images of hospitals, schools, churches and government buildings on Google Maps and Google Earth. CNet writer Elinor Mills argues that not only would this "reduce the usefulness" of these products, but it would also be "a huge undertaking for Google and would probably violate the First Amendment." Anderson's measure, dubbed "AB-255" would apply to services that make "a virtual globe browser available to members of the public". It says that a violation would incur fines of up to $250,000 per day. In an interview with …

Now that their stocks are trading below $2, Wall Street analysts agree that Citigroup and General Motors will most likely be replaced in the Dow Jones Industrial average. Tech bellwethers Google and Cisco are viewed as top contenders to replace Citi and GM. In recent weeks, six stocks on the Dow have sunk below $10; meanwhile, the index itself has lost roughly 25% of its value since the start of the year, prompting analysts to call for an update. "I don't have much interaction with Exxon Mobil (one of the 30 stocks listed on the Dow), but I'm on Google …

Like many big tech stocks, Google has been in a nosedive during the stock market's crash. However, as of yesterday, the company's employees holding stock options aren't nearly so badly off, notes Silicon Alley Insider's Nicholas Carlson, as the search giant exchanged more than 6 million employee-held stock options with exercise prices above $500 for options priced at $308.57. Of Google's 20,200 employees, 15,642 participated in the swap, Carlson says. And in exchange for the lower strike price, each agreed to a delayed vesting period. The company says the repricing will help it retain valuable employees, as reported Monday …

Thanks in large part to the recession, which is forcing Web publishers to sell remnant inventory to ad networks at basement prices, there's a proliferation of crappy ads on the Web. Exhibit A is the now ubiquitous "belly fat" ads placed by numerous direct response marketers across the Web. Ad Age's Michael Learmonth notes that these ads typically link to sites with names like "Becky's Weight Loss" or "Helen's Weight Loss," which often use the same creative of a before and after photo of a woman's belly, touting some secret to getting rid of that gut. According to The Rubicon …

Microhoo Round 2? Probably not, says Kara Swisher. Despite the fact that Microsoft COO Kevin Turner tells The (London) Times that the software giant is still very interested in doing a deal, Swisher says that "if there were real and substantial talks going on right now between Yahoo and Microsoft...you likely would not hear a peep from them." Actually, in the Times interview, Turner basically admits that there haven't been substantive talks: "We've certainly made (CEO Carol Bartz) aware and the Yahoo board aware that if they are ever interested in an opportunity to partner with them on search, we'd …

American Web surfers are certainly concerned about online privacy, but the level of concern is highest among older Americans, according to a study from Burst Media. The survey, based on 4,000 responses to questions from adults age 18 and over, found that 80% are concerned about the retention of personal information such as age, gender, income and Web surfing habits. A whopping 85.7% of respondents age 55 said they were concerned about online privacy, compared to 67.3% of 18- to 24-year-olds. The survey also found that 62.5% of Web users think their behavior is being tracked online as they surf …

Facebook has started to become a bigger source of traffic for certain large Web sites than even Google, according to new data from Hitwise. Given the social networking leader's incredible scale (it now has more than 180 million registered users around the world), it's not surprising that sites receive a lot of referrals, but more referrals than Google? Now, that is "surprising" says Ad Age's Michael Learmonth, particularly because Facebook is a destination site, while Google is the place you go to find your next destination. Nevertheless, gossip sites like PerezHilton.com and Dlisted, mom site CafeMom, Evite, video site Tagged.com, …