Sync Privacy and Intrusion concerns

[ARegularJoe]

Given the latest revelations in the MM about how Car Manufacturers are selling information about their customers usage patterns with Insurance companies and more, I investigated Ford's policies and found that publicly they state that they do not share your information but am suspecting this is dishonest.

While I turned off all the reporting I could under 'Connected Vehicle Features' even before I drove my truck off the lot, I reviewed it again today and found a curious entry at the end of that list. I noticed 'Insurance-related data' as a grayed out entry and unlike all the other items on the list, it did not appear that it could be controlled at the vehicle. No matter what I did under this category, I did not see that capability as being mutable in any way.

Anybody have any idea if being grayed out means it is actually collecting and providing Insurance-related data upstream for Ford to sell or if in being grayed out, it's a capability not yet enabled under Sync capabilities but ready to be secretively enabled and defaulted to 'on' during a future OTA update?

I have, for the time being shut off all OTA updates as being the only way I can see to prevent the snooping that Ford says they don't do and further state they don't sell to others.

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[Str8Shooter]

The only foolproof way is to probably disconnect all the antennas on the vehicle and delete the Ford Pass app on your phone.

 

[HammaMan]

Insurance thing can only turn on with your permission when you sign up for ford insure. It monitors your driving for 90 days or so and then turns off and its done. It's handled by nationwide -- saved me ~50/mo from statefarm with superior coverage.

 

[ARegularJoe]

I've deleted all the phone based apps but would rather not disconnect all antennas as I would lose FM, Sirius and Nav. Not sure how manually triggered OTA updates would make it into the system.

 

[ARegularJoe]

Interesting about Ford Insure. Don't recall having had that mentioned when I procured rig. I already had USAA coverage on vehicle before it was delivered at dealer so maybe that's why.

I still think it really misleading by Ford to tell us they are not like GM when indeed they have the mechanisms to be exactly like GM.

 

[HammaMan]

Interesting about Ford Insure. Don't recall having had that mentioned when I procured rig. I already had USAA coverage on vehicle before it was delivered at dealer so maybe that's why.

I still think it really misleading by Ford to tell us they are not like GM when indeed they have the mechanisms to be exactly like GM.

GM is getting sued quite heavily for what they did. Ford doesn't sell owner specific data, they sell anonymous aggregate data. GM was selling owner specific data which rightfully pissed a lot of people off.

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