Rant on "Terms of use"

[WinterDeere]

At least with most software devices (such as what buckeyefarmer described) you have the option of declining and not using the software. Where do you agree to the TOU on a vehicle? Now maybe if you buy new, one of the zillion forms you have to sign contains it, but what about if you buy used. I can say with complete certainty I never signed anything agreeing to be spied on when I bought either of mine.

GM is one of the worst, in that they use their OnStar hardware to collect individually-identifiable data on every driver, and report it to insurance companies. Do you routinely exceed the speed limit by a few MPH? Do you like quick acceleration? Every major insurance company already knows about you!

Unless you put the legwork in to specifically request your data be withheld, and maybe even have to repeat that with each major firmware update, they are selling your personal data.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2024/03/how-to-opt-out-of-gm-sharing-your-driving-data-with-insurance-companies/#:~:text=Now%2C%20GM%20Authority%20is%20providing%20a%20step-by-step%20guide,need%20to%20disable%20the%20OnStar%20Smart%20Driver%20feature.

 

[Oaktree]

GM is one of the worst, in that they use their OnStar hardware to collect individually-identifiable data on every driver, and report it to insurance companies. Do you routinely exceed the speed limit by a few MPH? Do you like quick acceleration? Every major insurance company already knows about you!

Unless you put the legwork in to specifically request your data be withheld, and maybe even have to repeat that with each major firmware update, they are selling your personal data.

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2024/03/how-to-opt-out-of-gm-sharing-your-driving-data-with-insurance-companies/#:~:text=Now%2C%20GM%20Authority%20is%20providing%20a%20step-by-step%20guide,need%20to%20disable%20the%20OnStar%20Smart%20Driver%20feature.

The article you linked to only mentions actions to take using their ap. I don't even have a smartphone, let alone their ap. Any Googling I've done on this seems to imply that you need a GM account and/or their ap to do this...am I safe in assuming that since I don't have either one I'm (relatively) safe on this?

 

[newbury]

am I safe in assuming that since I don't have either one I'm (relatively) safe on this?

From reading your postings on TBN (assuming you are not a bot) you would be safe regardless.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I own a 2019 Ranger. I agreed to the terms to use FORDPASS when I bought truck. Now, after reading their many page update on terms last year, if I want to use an option I paid for, I have to allow them to track all my driving habits, accel rate, braking, speed, etc etc etc. and allow them to send to other companies ie insurance companies...More money in Fords pocket. I denied.
Verizon sends me, almost daily, a request to agree to their updated terms, allowing them access to all emails, texts, pictures etc etc etc on my phone. I delete these messages.
I would gather to say any and all tech related services require you to agree to new demands, or try to find someone who doesn't. Not sure that exists.
Now onto financial services... same story

If you want to enjoy the conveniences of digital services, of pretty much any service provider, you have to agree to their terms, whatever they may be. Don't like, good luck finding one that doesn't require.

 

[riptides]

I've gotten several "Terms of Use/Privacy Policy" updates recently. Like for my cable provider, my internet provider and the most recent, an NBC one. The NBC one is 145 pages! No summary, not a mention of what's changed.
Does anyone know of a website that analyzes these?
I'm thinking like in the case of the someone who got hurt at Disney but was denied an easy claim because they had signed a document years before.
Without legal advice I'm flying blind on what I'm signing. For all I know I might be signing away any right to sue if a cable provider truck runs me over in the street.

Get a chatGPT account or similar AI based assistant. Summary... Cut..paste...

 

[Oaktree]

From reading your postings on TBN (assuming you are not a bot) you would be safe regardless.

Not sure what you mean by that, but no I'm not a bot.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Not sure what you mean by that, but no I'm not a bot.

we can't be 100% sure until you have confirm the two below.

 

[WinterDeere]

Interesting how those things work, since of course you're probably thinking any AI can pick out roads or click "I'm not a robot". CAPTCHA is actually paying as more or more attention to how you move the mouse to click on each of those boxes, than which boxes you click. AI has not yet reached the point where it replicates the human tendency to wander and hover the mouse, while making decisions on which boxes to click.