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OnStar Reverses ToS Changes

Posted by Unknown on from the or-will-they dept.

First time accepted submitter BlackWind writes "It seems that even Government Motors is smart enough to figure out when they've gone too far. GM announced that the OnStar service will revert to their previous Terms of Service in the wake of the firestorm of criticism that their plan to sell GPS data created."

6 of 90 comments (clear)

  1. I wondered as I sat on hold for 20 minutes... by JohnnyComeLately · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Here is what I was about to post to the original article here....

    Initially, I read the TOS very quickly, and didn't notice the rewrite specifics. Due to reading the actual TOS a second time, I called all the way from Europe to cancel the service on my car that sits idle (pardon the pun) in Southern California. When I get back, I plan to rip the RF device out of the car.
    Insurance can't be trusted, and I know they'll be buying the data. Geo spatial analysis will make it insanely easy to un-anonimize the data, and as we've seen very recently, when a company is bought or sold, the new owners like to re-define the rules of engagement. Right now, insurance asks for all your medical data during a claim, what's to stop them from pooling, analyzing, and/or asking for this data pertaining to your driving? Nothing.
    The interesting thing is the On-Star support person said three times, "The information is only released with your consent." I replied all three times, "That's what your old TOS said. With all due respect, I appreciate your efforts, however I have an exceptionally firm grasp of the English language, and it very specifically states the data can be sold at GM's discretion OR with my consent. Please cancel."

    Hmmm...oh well... It's sorta funny they actually corrected course. Netflix obviously didn't learn this lesson or execute a course correction nearly as well.

  2. Come on. by American+AC+in+Paris · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You know, you've got a perfectly good summary going on an important issue, and you go and make yourself look like a child by calling General Motors "Government Motors". Why? Do you honestly think it's clever, or particularly effective at getting your point across?

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    Obliteracy: Words with explosions

    1. Re:Come on. by Monkey-Man2000 · · Score: 3

      I agree, only Drudge and rightwingers call GM Government Motors. I suppose at least they're advertising their right-wing bias with a metaphorical blink tag. Therefore, we can assume the story is a troll or otherwise partisan like RedState, DailyKos, etc... I suspect this is the kind of shit that pushed CmdrTaco to leave /. because it's become much more conspicuous recently and particularly since he left ...

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      This post was generated by a Cadre of Uber Monkeys for Monkey-Man2000 (603495).
    2. Re:Come on. by Toonol · · Score: 3, Insightful

      A moniker that should stay with them.

      Yeah. "Government Motors" is clearly namecalling, and an insult... but sometimes insults are deserved, at least for a while. People need to remember that GM failed, and only exists because it leeched off tax dollars. Ford didn't. That gives me a hell of a lot more appreciation for Ford's management.

  3. Only partial reversal? by sl3xd · · Score: 4, Interesting

    From what I read in TFA, they only reverted the part where they continue to track you after you've canceled I saw nothing about them changing their minds about selling your data.

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    -- Sometimes you have to turn the lights off in order to see.
  4. Re:smart idea by tripleevenfall · · Score: 4, Funny

    Given that the vehicles being tracked are all GM vehicles, we should be able to parlay this data into the most intricate map of North American breakdown lanes ever produced.