FTC order bans GM and OnStar from sharing precise location and driving data
Amongst a flurry of final enforcement actions in the last days of Lina Khan’s FTC, the agency announced an enforcement action against General Motors and OnStar, its roadside-assistance subsidiary.
The proposed order bans GM and OnStar from sharing precise geolocation and driver-behavior data to consumer-reporting agencies for a period of five years.
In a press release announcing the action, FTC Chair Lina Khan wrote:
“GM monitored and sold people’s precise geolocation data and driver behavior information, sometimes as often as every three seconds. With this action, the FTC is safeguarding Americans’ privacy and protecting people from unchecked surveillance.”
The agency alleges that the enrollment process for the OnStar service was “confusing and misleading,” and failed to clearly disclose details of its data collection.
In addition to the restrictions on sharing data with credit bureaus, the companies are ordered to allow consumers to disable or limit the collection of precise location data, as well as obtain a copy of or delete their own personal data.
In a press release announcing the action, FTC Chair Lina Khan wrote:
“GM monitored and sold people’s precise geolocation data and driver behavior information, sometimes as often as every three seconds. With this action, the FTC is safeguarding Americans’ privacy and protecting people from unchecked surveillance.”
The agency alleges that the enrollment process for the OnStar service was “confusing and misleading,” and failed to clearly disclose details of its data collection.
In addition to the restrictions on sharing data with credit bureaus, the companies are ordered to allow consumers to disable or limit the collection of precise location data, as well as obtain a copy of or delete their own personal data.
