OnStar Begins Spying On Customers’ GPS Location For Profit

[no1_vern]

OnStar Begins Spying On Customers’ GPS Location For Profit | Jonathan Zdziarski's Domain

OnStar’s latest T&C has some very unsettling updates to it, which include the ability to sell your personal GPS location information, speed, safety belt usage, and other information to third parties, including law enforcement. To add insult to a slap in the face, the company insists they will continue collecting and selling this personal information even after you cancel your service, unless you specifically shut down the data connection to the vehicle after canceling.

PDF of Onstar new terms.
I figure most people didn't read their terms.

Would you care if someone you trusted changed their agreement with you and started selling your private info?

[Steve R Jones]

OnStar started sending my info to State Farm with my permission - and I get a discount from State Farm for being a low milage driver..

The attached screen freaked me out the first time OnStar emailed it to me.

[Chuckiechan]

When you drive a "Government Motors" vehicle, you never need to ask for help.

Is this a precursor to charging via the mile, vs tax at the pump? I'm sure the gas tax will stay, and the mileage tax will just be an additional "investment".

[brandon184]

I saw that Chuck was the second and most recent respondent to this thread. I knew before even clicking on it that I'd be naming the winner of this edition of One Degree of Barack Obama!

[Toadman]

Can you please stay on topic, Brandon? Thank you.

[brandon184]

Can you please stay on topic, Brandon? Thank you.

Sure, no problem!

On topic: Don't buy OnStar if you don't like the terms.

[no1_vern]

Sure, no problem!

On topic: Don't buy OnStar if you don't like the terms.

Thanks for pointing that out Brandon, but That is one of the problems with the way Onstar is treating its customers.

The old terms(FTA):

Old Consent Clauses – Now Removed:

In General, we do not share your personal information with third-party marketers, unless we have asked for and obtained your explicit consent.

Of course, we will notify you, and where required, ask for your prior consent if our collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information materially changes.

Emphasis mine.

The TOC changed to these new terms - without any real warning. It was an email with the actual clauses buried many pages deep - probably so most people will be asleep or will have "archived" it before they get to the changes.

There IS NO "opt out" - even if you cancel your service, Onstar has your tacit permission to record "Anonymized GPS data" of where your car has been and has done because you have not physically removed/disabled the Onstar tracking equipment. You have to physically disconnect the GPS and transmitter to disable tracking equipment.

Who here can tell me the logical fallacy of "Anonymized GPS data"??

[brandon184]

There IS NO "opt out" - even if you cancel your service, Onstar has your tacit permission to record "Anonymized GPS data" of where your car has been and has done because you have not physically removed/disabled the Onstar tracking equipment. You have to physically disconnect the GPS and transmitter to disable tracking equipment.

Where is the evidence that OnStar continues to collect and share information even after you cancel the service? I don't see anything about that in the Terms of Service you linked to. The guy in the article doesn't mention anything about that explicitly, either, he just appears paranoid that they didn't disconnect the service after he cancelled it.

[no1_vern]

Um, it is the bolded text in my first post, still I will repeat it FROM THE ARTICLE I linked to:

To add insult to a slap in the face, the company insists they will continue collecting and selling this personal information even after you cancel your service, unless you specifically shut down the data connection to the vehicle after canceling.

[brandon184]

That's just what that random guy says!

Show me where OnStar "insists" that they will "continue collecting and selling this personal information even after you cancel your service".

[no1_vern]

Brandon, read the PDF I linked to before spouting "show me".

In case you really are unable to click the link I posted above, or that you dont have a PDF reader, here is the paragraph I am refering to.

Unless the Data Connection to your Vehicle is deactivated, data about
your Vehicle will continue to be collected even if you do not have a
Plan. It is important that you convey this to other drivers, occupants,
or subsequent owners of your Vehicle. You may deactivate the Data
Connection to your Vehicle at any time by contacting an OnStar
Advisor

[brandon184]

It's still something that you can opt-out of!

You may deactivate the Data Connection to your Vehicle at any time by contacting an OnStar Advisor

In other words, "You may opt out of this at any time."

Like I said above... The company provides their customers with an updated terms of service. If you don't like the terms, there is nothing preventing you from cutting your ties with that company and taking your business elsewhere.

[no1_vern]

I had to request the data connection be shut down repeatedly, after the OnStar rep attempted to leave it on and ignore my requests.

It may take up to sixty (60) days for OnStar to cancel your account and deactivate the Data Connection to your Vehicle. During this sixty (60) day period, Service may still be available, and data may be collected from your Vehicle.
Crazy On Tap - OnStar revised privacy policy-

AND FINALLY, my own opinion - I trust a removed GPS/transceiver FAR more than I trust a corporation to keep its word.

[Gomer]

AND FINALLY, my own opinion - I trust a removed GPS/transceiver FAR more than I trust a corporation to keep its word.

But you trusted them enough to buy a vehicle with the device in the first place *scratches head*

[no1_vern]

Im sorry, I didn't explain that this is an exercise for me as I have never had, nor would I ever consider using a Onstar equipped vehicle.

[Gomer]

Im sorry, I didn't explain that this is an exercise for me as I have never had, nor would I ever consider using a Onstar equipped vehicle.

Well has the exercise shown you the error of your thought process anyway?

[no1_vern]

Error? What error? My thought process displays that you should not trust big organizations. At best, you might hope to be able to trust the Government to TRY to protect the consumer, but even that is iffy.

[Gomer]

Error? What error? My thought process displays that you should not trust big organizations. At best, you might hope to be able to trust the Government to TRY to protect the consumer, but even that is iffy.

Your error was that you asked if you would trust someone who changed the terms.

When Brandon pointed out that you can opt out of the program if you didn't like the terms; you said that you can't trust their terms anyway.

If you can trust their terms anyway, why are your drawers all bunched up because they changed them in the first place?

[no1_vern]

Your error was that you asked if you would trust someone who changed the terms.

I did not ask if I trust them -I dont, and I dont use them. I asked if you, the reader, would trust them(well, thats what I meant).

When Brandon pointed out that you can opt out of the program if you didn't like the terms; you said that you can't trust their terms anyway.

If you can trust their terms anyway, why are your drawers all bunched up because they changed them in the first place?

I would never trust ANY AGREEMENT between two parties that can be changed by only one side at a later date.


BTW:
As a customer, how many times should you be required to tell a service to stop recording what you are doing before they actually stop? How many drivers who have spent ~$25k, $30k, $40k for a car that had Onstar do you think are being caught unaware of the change of the TOS? How many will go through all the hoops needed to ensure their privacy is protected?

[Max_Confusion]

OnStar may periodically or routinely collect information about you or your
Vehicle in several different ways, including: from what you, your Vehicle
Maker, our affiliates, or Vehicle dealers provide to us; from your use or
purchase of our Services; from correspondence between us; from OnStar Web
pages you visit; from our Service Providers; from third-party data providers;
and from your Vehicle itself when your OnStar Equipment is enabled, or if
OnStar has a Data Connection (even if you do not have a Plan).

Page 12 of 26

DO NOT HAVE A PLAN means NO SERVICE agreement

Time to cut some wires...