Senator Schumer alarmed by OnStar's tracking policy

Senator Schumer from New York is alarmed by OnStar's tracking policy (location, speed) even after a customer cancels the OnStar subscription. He has asked the FTC to investigate and asked GM to explain their policy.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/26/technology/schumer_onstar_investigation/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am thinking this could spill over to other built-in car tracking systems, including Carwings.

wmontalvo said:

Senator Schumer from New York is alarmed by OnStar's tracking policy (location, speed) even after a customer cancels the OnStar subscription. He has asked the FTC to investigate and asked GM to explain their policy.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/26/technology/schumer_onstar_investigation/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am thinking this could spill over to other built-in car tracking systems, including Carwings.

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Thank goodness http://seattlewireless.net/~casey/?p=97 got fixed quickly enough. Otherwise it'd be Nissan folks standing there in Congress...

I hope these same folks don't use cell phones...

I suspect there will be a number of OnStar fuses pulled as a result of that story...

haykinson said:

Thank goodness http://seattlewireless.net/~casey/?p=97 got fixed quickly enough. Otherwise it'd be Nissan folks standing there in Congress...

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Ahhh, good to know. I was not aware this had been fixed. Thanks for the link!

I thought the 911 feature still worked even if you do not subscibe.
If Schumer really needed help would he still question the motives?

By law, 911 has to work on any cellular device, regardless of whether or not it is activated.

smkettner said:

I thought the 911 feature still worked even if you do not subscibe.

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TomT said:

I suspect there will be a number of OnStar fuses pulled as a result of that story...

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Hmmm - didn't think to look if there actually was a fuse for just the OnStar system. If there is, certainly my will be vacated. (Then I just have to remember to leave my cellphone at home when I go out on the next crime spree )

General Motors, a few years ago, released this program called OnStar. The service has proven popular. An alteration to the privacy policy of OnStar prompted the Federal Trade Commission to start examining the program, which has led to a minor improvement in the policies at question. And now, even with limits, OnStar will still be tracking and selling data. This is the alarming part of the service. Under the new terms, OnStar reserves the right to share that information with other companies and organizations, even data culled from motorists who no longer subscribe to the service but who have left the two-way communications connection open.