"WE'RE WATCHING YOU...maybe not: Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

Subscribe get a full year for only $23.95 Sample Free Test Drive—no strings attached

Sept. 28, 2011 1:06 p.m. integraguy SuperDork

I don't know what other folks think about having "info" about them sold by a company they buy something from...I wish you could check a box somewhere's and prevent the practice.

The last place I lived, the utility company sold your address and a few other bits of info to third parties and as a consequence, I was (like others connected to the same utility system) deluged with junk mail.

I bring this up, because APPARENTLY (until a few members of Congress threathened them) On-Star was planning on selling info they collected about the operator/operation of vehicles equipped with their "services". The story I read, online, said the info was being/would be collected from vehicles EVEN AFTER THE SUBSCRIPTION FOR ON-STAR WAS NO LONGER ACTIVE. (sorry about the "shouting") In their "defense", On-Star said the info would be "anonomyzed" (sp?) so that the third parties would not be able to identify customers/former customers. What was considered for collection? Data on speed, whether seatbelts were being used, when a car was most likely to be used (day of week, time of day).
Sept. 28, 2011 1:12 p.m. oldtin Dork

In soviet russia cars spy on you and report to government.

In free America, you buy subscription for cars to spy on you - report sold to highest bidder
Sept. 28, 2011 1:20 p.m. fasted58 Dork

you can choose to opt out, ya know

internet services collect more info than OnStar

I ain't skeered
Sept. 28, 2011 1:21 p.m. carguy123 SuperDork

At least in mortgages you get a chance to opt out.
Sept. 28, 2011 1:40 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

OnStar is easy to opt out of... pull the connector out of the device. In-fact, I butchered mine so I could use the mic and speakers for my hands-free cell phone. Google... the plans are online. It works really well. Probably the only useful thing about Onstar is the leftover hardware.
Sept. 28, 2011 3:33 p.m. aircooled SuperDork

oldtin wrote:

In soviet russia cars spy on you and report to government.

In free America, you buy subscription for cars to spy on you - report sold to highest bidder

In Soviet Russia, agents spy on you and report to the government.

In the US, people put every possible personal and private detail on the internet and then complain about how the government and businesses are spying on them.
Sept. 28, 2011 3:52 p.m. Strizzo SuperDork

the outrage wasn't so much that they'd sell your info when you're a subscriber, they already did that, the problem became that even if you weren't a subscriber, they would still track you and sell your info. so they're making money off of you regardless of whether or not you're paying them.

+1 on the irony of people posting everything about themselves on a public forum or fb and then getting mad when something like this comes along
Sept. 28, 2011 5:25 p.m. fasted58 Dork

Schumer only jumped on the soap box for political face time, other than that noise it's a non event. There is a push started to make 'opt out' the default position when unsubscribing.
Sept. 28, 2011 5:57 p.m. Tom Heath Web Manager

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

OnStar is easy to opt out of... pull the connector out of the device. In-fact, I butchered mine so I could use the mic and speakers for my hands-free cell phone. Google... the plans are online. It works really well. Probably the only useful thing about Onstar is the leftover hardware.

I like this plan. Someday, an Escalade will make an awfully comfortable tow vehicle.