FordPass is watching us?

[Sojourner]

I don't know what NextDNS is, but according to the video, if it uses GPS on phones, then its Google.

NextDNS is a tool one can use to block info from going to a domain. The app for Android is NextDNS Manager. I use it to block a battery monitor I use from reporting back to China (see next paragraph).

I learned quite a bit from the article linked to in this post (and from the entire thread):
https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...ing-the-bm-2-bluetooth-battery-monitor.21386/

So I was wondering if NextDNS could block the phone reporting to supl.google.com (as discussed in that really excellent video you posted).

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[mtsoxfan]

You have to select the option to enable option selection.

Third time viewing this thread, third time going in to see how to lower the sharing. Can anyone give specific instructions on this?

 

[got3fords]

Third time viewing this thread, third time going in to see how to lower the sharing. Can anyone give specific instructions on this?

I am not able to disable sharing. Other countries may vary.

 

[Utope]

Any tracking the Ford Pass App does is swamped out by your phone in general. Have you ever had a conversation about something, then had adds on your phone's browser of the exact thing you were talking about 5 minutes ago?

 

[Jason B]

NextDNS is a tool one can use to block info from going to a domain. The app for Android is NextDNS Manager. I use it to block a battery monitor I use from reporting back to China (see next paragraph).

I learned quite a bit from the article linked to in this post (and from the entire thread):
https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...ing-the-bm-2-bluetooth-battery-monitor.21386/

So I was wondering if NextDNS could block the phone reporting to supl.google.com (as discussed in that really excellent video you posted).

Good question. My wild guess is that the GPS won't work if it doesn't go thru supl.google.com.

 

[ccasanova22]

And definitely don't put you insurance app on the phone, even if it's 'just for insurance verification' cause I'm sure once they are in, they see it all.



Insurance is rising, not because of your driving habits. As they say 'it's the economy, stupid!".



And you don't even have to be using Google maps at the time. If you have logged into any Google account, be it chrome, YouTube, maps, or used any GPS app, they will collect you location data. You can delete all that data in your Google account and 'stop' location data, but honestly, I think that just hides it from yourself, they probably still keep it.

Well, why does “OK Google” then show the privacy light on Android phones, telling me the microphone is in use?

Wouldn’t the light come on as soon as you say “OK Google”?

Makes me question if any of these privacy settings actually do anything…

 

[TJC]

Well, why does “OK Google” then show the privacy light on Android phones, telling me the microphone is in use?

Wouldn’t the light come on as soon as you say “OK Google”?

Makes me question if any of these privacy settings actually do anything…

Back doors exists in all cell phones, tablets and most PCs as well. And remember, there is really no way to turn off your Android or Apple smart phones. (Unless you can find a way to remove the battery.)

Before you even boot a laptop there are up to 12 (last count several years ago) firmware partitions that boot before your OS even starts. Those partitions are proprietary black boxes. That is 12 places that can interact with whoever to compromise your system before your device is even available to you. You can bet that there are government mandated back doors embedded in those partitions.

Turning a light off or on is trivial. All Systems can be accessed and manipulated, and Content can be read, removed, or added without your knowledge in real time.

Purism is one of the few companies out there that put privacy before everything else, and it has taken them years of reverse engineering to weed out all the possible backdoors in the Hardware (firmware). Then develop a Linux OS that is secure as well. Most Linux OSes are relatively secure if the user follows a few simple steps.

The big boy commercial players (MS/Google/Apple/Intel) are all about harvesting personal data at levels most can not comprehend or believe.

Even after purchasing and using a private device, I would minimize access to the internet using corporate DNS. Use your own DNS server whenever possible with VPN.

It is all about minimizing your cloud footprint. Knowledge is Power.

 

[Ranger_Rocks]

Well, why does “OK Google” then show the privacy light on Android phones, telling me the microphone is in use?

Wouldn’t the light come on as soon as you say “OK Google”?

Makes me question if any of these privacy settings actually do anything…

We live in the Google empire. There is no privacy.

The big boy commercial players (MS/Google/Apple/Intel) are all about harvesting personal data at levels most can not comprehend or believe.

It is all about minimizing your cloud footprint. Knowledge is Power.

^^^ THIS ^^^
And don't forget Meta with it's Facebook data harvesting empire.
Knowledge is Power... and big $$$$$$.

Websites are packed with trackers and data collection.
Images appearing on websites and in emails are trackers. Even the hidden single (1) pixel images are trackers.

 

[ccasanova22]

I just find it funny that companies like Google put those lights to show when the device is listening, as if it cannot “listen” when the light is off.

Then companies like Ring stating that they don’t use “facial recognition” on their devices but don’t say anything about “acoustic recognition”.

Why is it every time I need something (like I ran out of roofing tar, caulk, a specific sized screw or nail) I see ads for that even though I have not searched for those items?

It’s usually “hey, looks like we need to run back to Home Depot for some ___” and next thing you know, the ad feed changes.

I also wonder why my data utilized is so high (even though my IoT devices are supposedly “dormant”), it’s amazing how much data is coming from Samsung Smart TVs, door bells, etc. that are supposedly “off”. Especially if you are out of town and have a metered connection. What are these things doing? Hmm…

 

[JesseS]

The title of this thread is why I don't use FordPass. If you read the details of the FordPass Privacy and Data Collection novels you'd be amazed that Ford hoovers up "everything" via the app. It's beyond intrusive. And you CAN'T get a straight answer from Ford if you call them about this. Just meaningless blather about how Ford cares for their customers.

I get the "but everyone is tracking you" argument, but that doesn't mean I should make it so easy for Ford to do it and then profit off me by selling my data.

Even dealerships are getting in on the game. For example, when I went to purchase my Ford from a particular dealership and was coming with cash they still wanted me to fill out a credit application. They said it was for dealership security; that they could be assured I wasn't a bad sales risk. What? I was coming with cash and several easily verifiable forms of ID and had DECADES of documentation as a Ford buyer! What they really wanted was additional info they could sell and make a few extra bucks. When I confronted them about it they didn't deny it. Needless to say I walked out. Next dealership started to try the same tactic, but when I told them I was walking out they relented. So draw your conclusions about the need for this....

FordPass offers some nice conveniences. But in the end, what's the saying? When you get a product for almost nothing or free, then you're the product?

Funny, I did the same, walked in and bought my '21 with cash. Dealer wanted me to 'un-freeze' my credit report so they could check it. I asked why if I was paying with a certified bank check, they said 'policy', I said keep your truck, salesman cried and went to the manager, who called the bank on the check and then said they didn't need to check my credit. Just BS on their part.

 

[TJC]

I don't do cloud anything. I have multiple NAS units that do not talk to anything beyond my router. All my content is streamed from those NAS through a Raspberry 4 in HiDef (remotely controlled with a Flirc) to my Samsung Smart TV that is also firewalled from the cloud. The TV is basically a large monitor. I run an Onkyo AV Receiver. No wireless in my home, everything runs through Ethernet Cat 6. I have a very large collection of Movies and Shows going back to the late 1920's for movies and the mid 1950's for TV shows. I run my own DNS Server, and Phoine service at home goes through a Magic Jack ($3 / month Unlimited North America) and a OBDII using Anveo ($6 / month unlimited North America (both VOIP).

I own a Purism Laptop and crowd funded the work on the Purism Linux Phone that I own. Only one Laptop has Windoz 11 on it, and it is firewalled and stripped of function so it can't call home to Momma! I use that laptop exclusively for Forscan.

Over 15 years ago I watched a research demo of technology that could discern audio from a typical surveillance cameras found in every business in the USA. The software detected the minute vibrations of sound on surrounding things (plate glass, leaves, grass, etc) and converted them to audio. Conversations could be heard by people walking on the side walk past the store front the cameras was pointed at the front door.

Privacy in public is impossible, and privacy at home is under increasing attack. I am one of 6 people that refused a smart electric meter from my Electric CoOp. I threatened to call the police on the company and press felony charges if they attempted to install the meter. It is a surveillance device, and legally they can not be installed without an individual's permission.

They backed down very quickly. They don't mention it but if you allow them to put the meter on your home, then you consented (without your knowledge) to the surveillance.

25 years ago at IBM Reseach we could identify the movie a person was watching by the electrical power signature of the TV! They don't have to do that now, as they know what you are watching if you stream programming. The point here is that they can identify every device plugged (smart or not) into your home and when and what you are doing with it. And smart devices are telling them a lot more about you than you think. In fact I will wager that they know more about each of us than we know about ourselves. Habits, traits, routines, family and friends circles out to 7 links (the family and friend technology is at least 10 years old.

And they will soon have all those neat smart devices linked to your intelligent meter. Next time you stop by your electric company ask them why there is a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) in your smart meter. The most likely reply is going to be:

1 - Denial
2 - Yeah it is there but we don't use it

If it is not in use yet, it will be as the smart product revolution continues.

Here's a quick quote from one of the DSP meter manufacturers

"The LINK is designed to interface with other telecommunications media including packet-switched radio, cable television, low-earth orbit satellites and various power-line carrier methodologies. The inherent flexibility of the DSP enables The LINK to be re-programmed to interface with a variety of telecommunications methods in single hybrid communications platform."​

 

[MountainGoat]

I am one of 6 people that refused a smart electric meter from my Electric CoOp. I threatened to call the police on the company and press felony charges if they attempted to install the meter. It is a surveillance device, and legally they can not be installed without an individual's permission.

They are sending this out now. It's actually my old electric company when I lived in NJ. They will penalize you $15 a month for not getting a smart meter. Of course that fee will rise in price just like the tolls there always do.

Gotta love the "debunking" included in the pamphlet too. It's safe and effective!

 

[TJC]

They eventually starting charging me $10 / month. A "Privacy Penalty"

 

[Sojourner]

Funny, I did the same, walked in and bought my '21 with cash. Dealer wanted me to 'un-freeze' my credit report so they could check it. I asked why if I was paying with a certified bank check, they said 'policy', I said keep your truck, salesman cried and went to the manager, who called the bank on the check and then said they didn't need to check my credit. Just BS on their part.

Good on you, sir!

To the dealers I'd say, "What audacity! Have you no shame?" But since most people just roll over refusals like ours are (too) few and far between. They do it b/c they can easily get away with it.

 

[9zero1790]

When I unplugged my modem and pulled my telematics fuse it was all "oh look at Mr. Tinfoil hat man". I get proven right again.


I hate those things. The surveillance state of Britain is the near future of the US. Funny thing is for now Flock gets used primarily in rich neighborhoods to safeguard working and retired elites, places like McLean and Georgetown, instead of crime ridden areas to actually combat the violence. I bet you'd come up on their system just for having out of state (or maybe out of town) plates.

So does all the stuff work like normal with the plug pulled ? Radio, navigation etc And where can I find this plug?

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