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UK Auto Insurer Will Use Facebook Data To Set Premium (thestack.com)

Posted by msmash on from the hmmm dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Major UK insurer Admiral has announced that it will use data garnered from Facebook profiles to help set insurance premiums for first-time drivers. The company intends to examine Facebook data including likes and posts for safe driver indicators: writing in short, concrete sentences and making concrete plans with friends using specific times and dates, rather than just 'tonight', for example, can show that a person is conscientious and well-organized, as can the use of lists. These traits are associated with safer drivers, who are less likely to file a claim with the company. Yossi Borenstein, the principal data scientist for the project, noted that the indicators of safe drivers are constantly evolving. "Our algorithm for calculating what 'safe' looks like is constantly learning, as we match social data to actual claims data." The program has already caused a storm of controversy, with some privacy rights activist groups noting that the program violates Facebook's Platform Policy, Section 3.15, which clearly says,"Don't use data obtained from Facebook to make decisions about eligibility, including whether to approve or reject an application or how much interest to charge on a loan."

4 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. No they're not according to Ars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://arstechnica.co.uk/tech-policy/2016/11/facebook-scuppers-algorithmic-car-insurance/

  2. Slow Slashdot. Facebook has already put a stop to by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37847647

  3. No they wont... by Richard_at_work · · Score: 5, Informative

    This has already been shot down by Facebook

  4. Re:Won a battle, lost the war ... by AmiMoJo · · Score: 3, Informative

    In the UK where this insurer is based, businesses need permission to access this data. Facebook can't just sell it to them. They can do some targeting on behalf of advertisers, but they can't pass on the content of non-public posts or personal details.

    Voluntary black boxes for young drivers never really took off here either. They quickly got a reputation for being inaccurate, especially in cars with small engines. After people start getting shadow banned because they shared their Facebook posts this will go the same way.

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC