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

[Norm Peterson]

Data mining is completely legal and again, in the agreed upon privacy policy. They have every legal right to data mine while you use their products and services. The only state that allows users to opt out of implied agreements in relation to data privacy is California (big bad wolf for most ppl in these forums).

It's really not the mining, per se. It's the sharing of that data once they have it. I probably wouldn't mind Ford getting a peek at how I use my car from time to time, but I strongly object to their sharing of that data to an entity with a different agenda who could change how they view said data without notice or restriction to either Ford or Ford's customers. For example, I think 0.5g braking is commonly interpreted as "extreme braking" by some of the insurance companies who offer things like "Drive Wise". That's today. Tomorrow they could drop that to 0.35g, where you could instantly be considered a riskier driver than you were only yesterday.

Again. You do. Even more powerfully so, you do with your dollar.

Maybe in theory. But that doesn't work very well when all or most companies require you to agree to similar conditions.

Then please realize that you're outside of the normal use-case on this. Most people are not going to live off the grid, as you are doing, and thus need advice that match the way their most likely to use it.

I know I'm not an average case as far as data mining is concerned, and I've at least hinted at that a number of times. But it's not a hard life to live, either.

There's always data being collected, digital or otherwise. Even when not using a digital means, for example, when you go to purchase your vehicle, there are data and statistics being drawn from that interaction such as zip code purchased, cost of vehicle, purchase type, etc.

All of which is benign and not monitored in real time. Though it's still a bit irksome that Subaru can send me flyers offering to get me into one of their newer vehicles at a price being compared against some specific dollar figure for the WRX we did buy.

That is a fact of the data-driven world we live in now. If you don't want to have your data mined, you are 100% within your rights to do that. But going off the grid is a far greater commitment than you think, even when you've got location services turned off.

All the way off the grid would take greater commitment than simply having a smaller on-the-grid presence than most. I get that. But it really isn't that difficult or restrictive to limit how much data about yourself can be regularly collected. Maybe it starts with realizing that you don't have to "be connected" 24/7/365.

That's not to say that we should all just give up our privacy. It is to say, however, that information is king and that's a 2 way street. Know what you're signing up for, know how your data is being used, and know when that usage agreement is being violated.

Per the original post, it seems most people are not aware of exactly what they have "agreed" to. Let alone have any idea whether such a usage agreement might ever be/have been violated by any of the other parties. The T&Cs for these agreements themselves are difficult enough for most people to read through. Let alone fully understand them.

As the vendor, I would do exactly the same thing. Ford's one and only job is to make money and figure out ways to make more of it every day. They don't owe us anything.

Would you feel right about sharing any data you collected with anybody outside your company, short of being subpoenaed to provide it?


Norm

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[Bikeman315]

So I just went on to Gas Buddy and this came up. And no, I didn’t sign up.

 

[Matthewstorm]

So I just went on to Gas Buddy and this came up. And no, I didn’t sign up.

I would delete that App ASAP.

 

[Bikeman315]

I would delete that App ASAP.

Why? Gas Buddy is a great app. So long as you know what you signing up for.

https://www.gasbuddy.com/privacy

Drives is a new addition to Gas Buddy. If you want it fine, sign up. If you don't, don't.

Ps. Have you read the privacy T&C on every app on your phone?

 

[Bikeman315]

It's everywhere.

Google Maps will now let you pay for public transportation and parking through its app

https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/17/22287043/google-maps-pay-parking-public-transportation-cities

 

[cactus_kid]

Exactly why I don't use it, waze, etc. I have the children's home locations set in the navigation on the car ............. off by several driveways !

 

[Matthewstorm]

Exactly why I don't use it, waze, etc. I have the children's home locations set in the navigation on the car ............. off by several driveways !

Hahaha now that's paranoid!

 

[cactus_kid]

It's everywhere.

Google Maps will now let you pay for public transportation and parking through its app

https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/17/22287043/google-maps-pay-parking-public-transportation-cities

I guess that is an advantage for those that live in the ghettos AKA the big cities. Me, I prefer living where my next door neighbor is at least 10 acres away thank you.

 

[cactus_kid]

Hahaha now that's paranoid!

No, that's being called safe ! I just replaced the car and cell phone for my single parent daughter. Car jacked at gun point with the g children in it. They live in an upscale area near U C Berkeley. All her critical info was in her purse. The doers come to the high end neighborhoods as there is no wealth where they live.

 

[Matthewstorm]

Wait your daughter got carjacked?! Wow.

 

[cactus_kid]

Delivering Christmas presents to the g kids friends. Broad daylight. The preps know that with the new DA's no cash bond needed rule, they are automatically released. So, they go right back to it. The great socialism experiment in the SF bay area.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Why? Gas Buddy is a great app.

A great app for what?

Serious question.



FWIW, around town, there's the station I prefer to go to and a couple of alternates in case station #1 is getting the tanks refilled. On a trip I've done before, I already know a number of places where I'd stop. On any trip I haven't done before, where I stop isn't going to matter. Why would I need an app?


Norm

 

[nrc]

The whole "there's nothing you can do about it" attitude has been programmed into you.

All of this information that you're sharing, knowingly or unknowingly, is being collected, aggregated, and sold under the pretense that it's anonymous. Anyone with the cash can buy that information. Then it's trivial to cross-reference it with public information that identifies you with 99% certainty.

It has become common for people to be fired for things that they do in "public" on the Internet. Next you'll see people being fired for things that they thought that they were doing privately.

It's difficult to be completely untraceable on the Internet, but it's not hard to significantly reduce the amount of data that you're making available to services that are all about selling you.

Creating blind spots is important. Don't use Android. Ever. Do not run any social media applications. Use a privacy focused browser and search engine. Block all ads and tracking. Turn off location tracking except when needed. Don't buy their surveillance devices.

Nothing these companies are "giving" you is worth what they're doing to you.

 

[Matthewstorm]

Don't you have greater control over privacy options with Android 11 than with iPhone?

 

[cactus_kid]

I have nothing to hide.

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