Privacy Wins!!
Recent General Motors and Google Privacy Changes
Sometimes the good guys win!
Both General Motors and Google had to act lately because of discovered privacy violations. These massive companies had to change their data collection practices because of people like you are speaking out and making them accountable. Keep it up!
General Motors: A Turn in the Road
General Motors found itself on a bumpy road when it was revealed that they were selling OnStar customers’ driving habits to insurance companies, leading to skyrocketing rates, and even policy cancellations for some consumers. Ouch!
The outcry was immediate and fierce including passionate car enthusiasts who took to platforms like YouTube to express their dismay. A collection of owners is also suing.
The public's demand for private automotive autonomy forced GM to retract its steps and put the brakes on the sale of driving data to insurance companies and adjusted the OnStar system to favor privacy.
If you are new to this Substack, I wrote about the horrible privacy practices of the automotive industry a few times, links below.
References: Read More on OnStar Privacy
GM, OnStar, and Insurance Sharing
How to Stop OnStar Location Sharing
I owned a GM vehicle with OnStar and had a collision, but it was comforting when a live OnStar agent connected to the car to see if my family was ok and they sent help.
This is what technology should do, work for me, not be a tracking system for the “AI Overlords”. OnStar can be configured not to track you unless you allow it or in emergency situations, the way technology should be implemented.
I also have another older GM vehicle that I physically disabled the onboard OnStar system. No tracking no matter how the settings are configured, my “Captain Privacy” automobile.
Google: The Incognito Illusion Shattered
Google, the ultimate data hoarder of the digital age, faced its reckoning when it was caught tracking users in "Incognito Mode" - a betrayal that shattered the illusion of private browsing. The fallout was swift, culminating in a landmark lawsuit that not only fined Google $5 billion but was also mandated the destruction of the illicitly gathered data. This episode underscores a critical victory for privacy advocates and sets a precedent for transparency and accountability in the tech industry.
The issue with Google is they continuously get caught lying about its privacy practices; from Android tracking your location even if you have “Location Services” turned off, using Gmail as an AI input, and now Incognito/Private mode was not private. Like I have said many times before, just don’t use Google Chrome and install a browser like Brave. Click here to read the full story.
"This [Google] settlement ensures real accountability and transparency from the world's largest data collector and marks an important step toward improving and upholding our right to privacy on the Internet," the court document noted.
Tinfoil Hat Perspective
Now placing on my tinfoil hat for a different point of view.
Most high-ranking government officials, especially in the USA, use GM vehicles for government business and maybe they did not realize GM held the location history of every bureaucrat anywhere they traveled. Add insult to injury, these same government folks thought they were surfing the web with a total anonymous cloak of darkness. They did not realize Google still had a copy of all their dirty web habits even in Incognito mode. “What is done in the dark will come to light” – Luke 12:2.
Thought #1: Is Google really going to delete all that data or did it leak out in different forms into its various internal systems? Once the data and knowledge are absorbed into AI, can it ever truly be deleted?
Thought #2: Knowing where someone has been in the physical world and also in the cyberspace is a powerful data combination to start building a personality profile. We will leave it at that … for now.
Conclusion: Trust in the Digital Age?
Big Biz continues to shatter any notion they are good stewards of our personal data.
Adding to the problem, Big Tech is driving a “digital transformation agenda” to turn all traditional businesses into data collecting companies which further drives the need for proper privacy controls before our houses, cars, watches, rings, and even toothbrushes all report back on our activities so they can sell this data to make a few extra dollars.
Its not just about the legalities but how unauthorized data sharing affects real people as seen in the insurance situation. Will your digital currency provider inform your health insurance company how many times you purchased fast food?
As we look towards the future, especially with AI, a responsible approach to data privacy and prioritizing the protection of personal information is imperative.
Let the victories of today inspire the battles of tomorrow as we endeavor to safeguard our privacy in the expanding digital landscape. May we all navigate this brave new world with our rights intact and our digital sovereignty. Our data our choice!
May peace and privacy fill your life,
Will