New research reveals serious privacy flaws in the data practices of new internet connected cars in Australia. It’s yet another reason why we need urgent reform of privacy laws.
Modern cars are increasingly equipped with internet-enabled features. Your “connected car” might automatically detect an accident and call emergency services, or send a notification if a child is left in the back seat.
But connected cars are also sophisticated surveillance devices. The data they collect can create a highly revealing picture of each driver. If this data is misused, it can result in privacy and security threats.
A report published today analysed the privacy terms from 15 of the most popular new car brands that sell connected cars in Australia.
This analysis uncovered concerning practices. There are enormous obstacles for consumers who want to find and understand the privacy terms. Some brands also make inaccurate claims that certain information is not “personal information”, implying the Privacy Act doesn’t apply to that data.
Some companies are also repurposing personal information for “marketing” or “research”, and sharing data with third parties.
My cars are not modern enough for that, but I always carry a surveillance device in my pocket to make up for it.
At least that one has an off button
Oh, does it?
Did you read the article? There were a couple cases were very early Android phones were modified to appear to be off but stayed on. This is fairly common knowledge, but it’s not particularly hard to defeat.
Everything your phone does requires a deterministic amount of power. Spying on people in particular requires even more power than normal because you need to run the power hungry gps in addition to the modem and cpu.
If you turn off the device it should be significantly cooler to the touch, not a degree above ambient. If it’s at 100% charge but a power bank with a read out is showing it still charging, that’s a problem. Is the bootloader image different? You can verify that to some extent. When you turn it back on has it been drawing down the battery anyway? Does it require an unlock password instead of biometrics as it normally would (assuming a particularly sloppy setup)?
This isn’t rocket surgery, in reality nobody is modding everyone’s phone to stay on forever because unless you’re an absolute troglodyte (aka the fucking old school mafia bosses they did this to) it’s going to be painfully obvious your phone is acting weird.
Eh, my phone is reasonably unlikely to spy on me. I use GrapheneOS with location off, no Google Play services most of the time (I have a separate profile for that BS), and the only app with location access is Organic Maps. My carrier could rat on me, but I don’t think Google could.
But I have a smart watch (Pixel 2), but at least it’s WiFi only so it can only rat on me when I get home. So I guess there’s that.
If your phone is connected to the cell network, then you can be tracked.
Yup, but not by Google, at least not directly.
The problem is I want to be able to receive calls and texts while out and about. My next step is to try switching to a VOIP service and only get 2FA codes on my carrier number. That doesn’t stop location tracking from cell towers, but it does reduce how much they know about me, and it makes it easier to switch later (i.e. if making and receiving calls on my computers are good enough).
Privacy is a process, and it’s an unfortunately frustrating one as companies sell out their customers more and more.
Anything of note that Mozilla didn’t already cover? https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/privacy-nightmare-on-wheels-every-car-brand-reviewed-by-mozilla-including-ford-volkswagen-and-toyota-flunks-privacy-test/
You gotta love that there are benchmark for that… The company that can’t even get free, right.
I really like their Amazon reviews thing that they bought… I bet the shady dude that had all the fucking people finder sites was in charge of that cause it’s got the same kind of fucking cheesy-graphic-load-screen… basically, the only functional piece of software they had at that point cause they hadn’t touched it, and then they went an AIed it up…
Here’s a new idea, why doesn’t everybody in the fediverse post their favorite privacy enhanced Firefox rebrand:
I’m really confused by your comment and it seems like you’re assuming everyone knows what you’re talking about already. Could you provide some context?
What about “Free” are they getting wrong? (I’m assuming you’re talking about Mozilla here?).
What Amazon reviews thing? Who was this “shady dude”, what did he do that was so “shady”, and how does that relate to Some Amazon review thing if you’re not even sure that he was behind it to begin with?
What does “Aled it up” mean?
The Amazon reviews thing I assume is referring to Fakespot, which Mozilla bought some time ago.
But I’m confused about their “AI’ed it up” comment because from the very beginning Fakespot was using ML to determine the tone of reviews and whether or not they were lying about the product/paid reviews by the seller.
Just griping a bit about what’s probably more of a design/branding change than anything.
I think fakespot is promising tech that we desperately need more of.
Can’t hurt to have it in their hands, hope to see more server resources ;-)
Sorry… busy day and I’m going to need a real computer for this 😅
RE Free… nothing really, just being bitter. I’m not a huge fan of a lot of the little tie-ins like Pocket, but I respect the hustle… if not the business plan.
The Amazon review thing they bought is Fakespot™, check it out if you shop on Amazon. Here the Ai nonsense is just some summaries of the reviews it digested… not inherently bad, but the whole experience is painfully slow. Still. Well worth checking out if you haven’t.
Shady dude gets a 📌 for now. Sorry. Time.
If you check out Fakespot you can’t miss it. Have yet to try the browser integration, although I have enabled it for some reason…  
I dislike the way you type.
It’s easier to ingest than the way I speak ;-)
If this data is misusedWhen this data is misused
My next vehicle is going to be fully mechanical with a carburetor and no computerized bullshit.
Just get an early OBD 2 car with no internet access and you are good or get an EFI kit for an old car as well. Carbs suck.
a well tuned carb will outperform an EFI system
for about two hours. 🤣
EFI is dynamic and adjusts the system as needed. However, a carb can be fixed with almost anything. I have a feeling that some of the older parts for EFI vehicles will be bought by major manufacturers and trashed/over priced to improve new vehicle sales and long term data collection goals. almost exactly how GM parts are today.
I mean if you are going to live off the grid, then I would just stock up on carb parts then haha. Otherwise, old school port injection EFI is extremely reliable. Just get a Toyota tundra or LandCruiser with the V8 without rust and you are good for 500,000 miles at least.
I did.
I had a 2012 mazda 5, everything completely mechanically sound. Immobilizer failure killed the ECU and 3 different electronics specialist, and 2 dealers couldn’t get it working.
I bought a 1963 Ranchero (170ci inline six). You’d be amazed how cheap and widely available pretty much ALL the parts for old Fords are too.
It also cost me less than half of a new Corolla.
No shit.
Teslas shitty cameras actually ally based
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