Ford is spying on you and sharing your personal information [LOCKED DUE TO POLITICS]

[Tomster]

A while back, I started a thread that was titled "How to disable the datalink to Ford". There was some philosophical discussion as well as a technical portion that helped users disable the data link to Ford. As the thread evolved, it was discovered that Ford was sharing data collected with an insurance pool (verisk), when many users didn't even know this was being done. Most were happy to collect their Ford points for oil changes or whatever, but really didn't understand or care what Ford was doing with their data and with who and how that data was being utilized and shared.

It has been discovered the extend of what Ford has been recording and who they have been sharing that data with. My personal feeling in this matter is that this is a total invasion of your privacy. Anyone who would sign up for this kind of monitoring for the sake of an oil change every now and then ought to seriously reconsider.

Recently, a member wrote to Ford to get a copy of his California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) statement. Until recently, it was only speculated as to the extent that your data was being collected and shared. In a nutshell, the data collected included:

• contact info, (name, address, phone number, etc.)
• demographics, (personal info, age, gender, marital status, etc.)
• device details and network information, (device types, serial numbers, MAC addresses, internet activity, etc.)
• digital activity, (online activity and usage patterns, times, websites, etc.)
• driving data, (speed, use of accelerator, brakes, steering, and the location they occur)
• identification numbers, (drivers license number, license plate, customer and account ID)
• media analytics, (What is listened to in your vehicle, audio info, electronic info)
• payment data, (payment card numbers, virtual wallet info, transaction info, billing info)
• preferences, (languages, websites, apps, etc.)
• security, (passwords, security questions, and answers to those questions, and customer records personal information)
• vehicle data, (VIN hardware, parts numbers, odometer, tire pressures, fuel and fluid levels, battery status, lock/unlock state, etc)
• vehicle location, (latitude/longitude, direction, speed, etc.)
• vehicle service history. (visit details, service details, repair history, recall repairs, etc.)

This data is a snapshot in time for the last 12 months and the various entities this individuals data was shared with was:

• Government authorities (regulatory, law enforcement, courts)
• financial institutions
• Ford Motor company family of companies and affiliates
• Ford service providers and suppliers
• Ford business partners (marketing, social media)
• Advertising companies
• Analytics companies
• Joint marketing providers
• Wi-Fi hotspot providers

Remember, the below report is only a snapshot in time detailing who Ford has shared this user's data with. The list is not all inclusive, and is fluid. The unedited version of this report can be found at the bottom of this post.

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[kstand]

My grandpa used to ask, “how’s that crow taste?” It tastes terrible. I mean... damn. You said it. And there it is. Geez...

 

[Warpath]

So Ford is now an extension of the NSA.

 

[kilobravo]

Same goal but far different measures.

KB

 

[kstand]

Same goal but far different measures.

KB

Safety and performance at the cost of privacy? Ha

 

[ShelbyMilk]

Tin foil hat like I posted before..

Just think of all the apps you have on your phone. and all the agreements you agreed to go through the ToS (Terms of Service) you ignore...while hitting next> next> next> accept> install.

Every app including the bulit-in apps are tracking all your data on your phone. Daily routine, text, chat, email, GPS and social media apps....lol (ick). Sharing "your contacts" and then being able to cross reference that data to other contacts etc. These apps already have thousands of data points on each individual, spouse, kids.....which is really creepy

Who needs a phone tap or wire tap when ppl just give the data away for free. Who needs a bar code or each person chipped when the already are....willingly.

GDPR is a good first baby step

Now let me go back to my cell phone......

 

[drummerboy]

but facebook but google but verizon but but but but but...

Baby steps. And even just awareness and concern is a good first step towards change. I love these threads for that. Open more eyes, raise more concerns, perhaps eventually some of this crap will get regulated more and more in our favor. Like how the CCPA came about.

Until then, yes, limiting most of these invasions is neither fun nor easy. On our cars (at least some of them, for now) it is extremely simple. Baby steps.

 

[Idaho2018GTPremium]

This should be posted in the S550 General section, as I'm sure it applies to all Mustangs (and probably Fords). Admin - can this be moved? It will see more traffic there.

 

[Classic Lover]

The point of owning a fast car like this is largely the freedom of the open road and driving it. Unbelievable Ford would do this to the people who keep their brand alive.

 

[el-guapin]

So Ford is now an extension of the NSA.

And other agencies!..

 

[Tomster]

The point of owning a fast car like this is largely the freedom of the open road and driving it. Unbelievable Ford would do this to the people who keep their brand alive.

I'm sure all the major automakers are doing the same thing. The point of this thread is to take away any doubt that everything you do is being monitored and recorded. I would be willing to bet the farm that Ford would turn over everything if law enforcement asked for it.

The best thing to do is go to the trunk, locate the TCU, and pull the coax cables and the power/data harness. You would probably be fine pulling the TCU fuse, but I would bet that Ford will tie the TCU into other circuits down the road.

In all honesty, how many people realized the extent of the data collection and sharing was going on?

 

[JAJ]

Unplugging the TCU will help, but not much. Read the CCPA report carefully and you'll see that only five of the thirteen categories of data are from the vehicle. Two are harvested from your smartphone or computer browser and the remaining six are gathered from the dealer network and your account on their system.

Sourced from dealer network, finance companies, or from your account on Ford's website:

• contact info, (name, address, phone number, etc.)
• demographics, (personal info, age, gender, marital status, etc.)
• identification numbers, (drivers license number, license plate, customer and account ID)
• payment data, (payment card numbers, virtual wallet info, transaction info, billing info)
• preferences, (languages, websites, apps, etc.)
• security, (passwords, security questions, and answers to those questions, and customer records personal information)

Sourced from your phone or computer:

• device details and network information, (device types, serial numbers, MAC addresses, internet activity, etc.)
• digital activity, (online activity and usage patterns, times, websites, etc.)

Sourced from your vehicle:

• driving data, (speed, use of accelerator, brakes, steering, and the location they occur)
• media analytics, (What is listened to in your vehicle, audio info, electronic info)
• vehicle data, (VIN hardware, parts numbers, odometer, tire pressures, fuel and fluid levels, battery status, lock/unlock state, etc)
• vehicle location, (latitude/longitude, direction, speed, etc.)
• vehicle service history. (visit details, service details, repair history, recall repairs, etc.)

So, if you want to stay off the radar, you have to buy the car for cash and disconnect the TCU before you start it for the first time at delivery. Anything more than that, they've got you, because even if the TCU is disconnected later, they have both your name and home location. Those two data items are enough for data aggregators (google it - you've never heard of them but these guys absolutely own you) to connect you to the rest of the listed data items (except the vehicle-specific data) in a few seconds.

 

[Classic Lover]

I'm sure all the major automakers are doing the same thing. The point of this thread is to take away any doubt that everything you do is being monitored and recorded. I would be willing to bet the farm that Ford would turn over everything if law enforcement asked for it.

The best thing to do is go to the trunk, locate the TCU, and pull the coax cables and the power/data harness. You would probably be fine pulling the TCU fuse, but I would bet that Ford will tie the TCU into other circuits down the road.

In all honesty, how many people realized the extent of the data collection and sharing was going on?

I agree I wasn’t meaning it’s just a ford thing.

 

[PhillyBULLITT]

The fact ANY one could be amazed by this just shows how either uneducated or naive they are regarding technology.

You and your car is traced at all time, by the cellular modem in it, by the GPS in it, by the WiFi in it, by YOUR phone in it, cameras, toll booth readers(even if NOT going through toll booths), by many other devices you or your passenger have on your person.


Also there is no "staying off the radar". Everything you listed above can be easily found MANY other places by companies trying to build data profile on you. Trying to stop Source #37 out of 143 will do Nothing to hinder them. The best you'll do is MAYBE slightly hinder the accuracy of their section on you regarding HOW you drive. Which even then that will develop over time from the other sources. Oh, Google/FB analytics shows he spends time on sites about road racing, and performance parts sites, he likely races or wants to race and possibly is a speeder. Oh, yup DMV data shows 3 tickets for speeding in 4 years, and here is a FB post of him that he made about going to the track/car meet/performance shop.... I can go on.

I literally managed to find a co-worker on Reddit once just because he mentioned our company in ONE post in a thread that was 3 years old. Based on his Reddit names previous comments I managed to figure out WHICH user of ours it was even though I knew NOTHING about him personally as I almost never spoke to him, I just knew the people he hung out with and was able to extrapolate from that that it was Him and not any of them. It took me maybe 10 minutes to determine it was him. He liked D&D that narrowed it down to 20~ people, had a few posts about mountain biking, that ruled out the more over weight/scrawny people, ect, ect.
My point is you don't need EVERY data point on a person to extrapolate data points.


Unless you are are willing to go back to 0 phone and 0 internet there is no way you won't be tracked. Hell, my grandfather does not have the internet OR a smart phone and he STILL gets tons of junk mail and had his ID stolen because the BANKS he deals with are online.



Going from Point A to B? On a turn pike? Let me lists the way they can track you and how fast you went:

1. Cameras
2. The time it takes to go from 1 toll to another.
3. The GPS in your car (even if you don't have it on it's still pining to see if there is activity/connection)
4. Wifi in your car - Close enough to houses? then you're scanning and briefly seeing that wifi name, thats likely being logged, the list of wifi names can show you a path from A to B and the about of time you were able to scan each can show the, and time stamps from 1st to last can show path you took and time it too
5. WiFi on your phone (see above)
6. GPS in your phone
7. Scanners pinging your Tool Booth scanner (even if there are no toll booths around)
8. Cell tower signal strength and pings from your phone(or car)
9. If you used Google/Apple/Ford Maps
10. ANY other application that uses your Location
11. All of this also applies to any and all passengers.

Once car to car communications become a thing for better autopilot software Other cars will be able to report your data as well.

Basically at this point, its essentially pointless to try to hide things. They have already been data mining you for 20+yrs.

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