FordPass is watching us?

[Matt 57]

This evening's news reported that auto manufacturers are capturing owner/driver data and communicating it to the manufacturers, who then sell the data to insurance companies, DMV and law enforcement and resulting in higher insurance premiums. My own insurance rates (Progressive) went up, and I am a conservative driver. I researched it and predominantly it was General Motors that was mentioned, using OnStar to communicate the data. Then I found a link to the Bronco forum (link below) where it is discussed that FordPass also collects data. It's in the fine print of the Sync3 contract (your agreement to terms makes it valid) but also tells you how to opt out. Anybody know anything about FordPass collecting info? I suspect that it would have come in on one of the last few Sync3 upgrades.

Here is the link: FordPass is watching you! Reporting your speed, G-forces, etc. | 2021+ Ford Bronco Sport Forum - Broncosportforum.com

i wouldnt worry about that ford pass is so unreliable it wont be a issue

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[Jason B]

It doesn't even have to be on anymore:

Android 15 lets you find your smartphone even when it is powered off

Holy moly!
I would say it's time to leave the planet and head for Mars, but they would probably track me there too.

 

[Sojourner]

It doesn't even have to be on anymore:

Android 15 lets you find your smartphone even when it is powered off

Bluetooth was ALWAYS gonna be the fail-safe way location could be tracked as it will radiant a low power signal that other phones pick up and transmit to Google (etc.). Hence, that "nearby devices" permission that so many apps require. (Begin edit) I guess you could achieve the same result with an embedded RFID chip, but that would clearly be a device tracking scheme and would be met with (I hope) universal disapproval. The "nearby devices" permission is a clever, subtle work-around.

[There's a reason Google (etc.) requires such large server farms.... It ain't just for email back-up! (As an aside, if these folks were so worried about climate change and the need to use less electricity wouldn't they be all-in in shutting down such electricity hogs as server farms, TV and movie studios, etc? This was a rhetorical question b/c they ain't interested in consuming less electricity to save the planet; they're just interested in YOU consuming less. And, of course, their stuff is essential, while ours ain't.)] (End edit)

Anyway, I also suspect this was a driving factor behind the non-removable battery. More for this "always on" feature than for the "but it's more water-resistant" line.

Time to get the phone into the Faraday bag during non-active use.... :sigh:

 

[Big Blue]

Time to get the phone into the Faraday bag during non-active use.... :sigh:

That's one way to stop the SPAM calls or any call.

You do know that you can not turn the GPS chip off in any phone. It is that way so if you call 911, they immediately know exactly where you are. They can also triangular you off of cell phone pings.

 

[SICKQK]

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?

I agree.......I've refused to activate it on any of the 5 Ford trucks I've owned over the last 13 years. I regularly speed, have had my trucks to the track, and had several of them tuned and modified with Forscan. All my business not theirs.

 

[Sojourner]

That's one way to stop the SPAM calls or any call.

You do know that you can not turn the GPS chip off in any phone. It is that way so if you call 911, they immediately know exactly where you are. They can also triangular you off of cell phone pings.

So you're saying the GPS chip is powered even when the phone is off? Wasn't sure that was possible. Certainly wasn't possible when one could remove the battery.

My thinking is that even if the GPS chip was active in some sense after the phone was powered down it wouldn't have nearly enough power to do anything significant. Would that be correct?

That's why - to me - an active BT chip that emits a low power signal that other "nearby devices" can tag makes more sense (in a surveillance environment (business or government) sort of way).

FordPass (and other apps) just bypass the need for a less efficient, low-power BT "nearby devices" approach by offering free stuff to get the user to consent to the more efficient, high-power approach.

Gotta rethink my strategies. If i can't stop it, I should do my part to make them work for it....

 

[RedlandRanger]

So you're saying the GPS chip is powered even when the phone is off? Wasn't sure that was possible. Certainly wasn't possible when one could remove the battery.

My thinking is that even if the GPS chip was active in some sense after the phone was powered down it wouldn't have nearly enough power to do anything significant. Would that be correct?

That's why - to me - an active BT chip that emits a low power signal that other "nearby devices" can tag makes more sense (in a surveillance environment (business or government) sort of way).

FordPass (and other apps) just bypass the need for a less efficient, low-power BT "nearby devices" approach by offering free stuff to get the user to consent to the more efficient, high-power approach.

Gotta rethink my strategies. If i can't stop it, I should do my part to make them work for it....

If the phone is in a Faraday bag it really doesn't matter if it is on or not - it won't work..... That's the point of a Faraday bag.

 

[ROBERTECOX]

lotta paranoia here

 

[Sojourner]

If the phone is in a Faraday bag it really doesn't matter if it is on or not - it won't work..... That's the point of a Faraday bag.

Yes, I understand that. What I was questioning was the idea of the GPS chip always being "on."

Regardless, into the Faraday bag it will go to be pulled out as needed. If I miss a call or two, oh well. That was life for all of us up until the early 1990s for some (all the way up to the late 90s for me).

lotta paranoia here

And proud of it. ?

 

[TJC]

Yes, I understand that. What I was questioning was the idea of the GPS chip always being "on."

Modern cell phones are impossible to "turn off" They are always on and active, simply somewhat dormant when you turn them off. They are constantly connected to the cloud infrastructure. Hence the need for a Faraday cage to block the signals.

 

[Sojourner]

Modern cell phones are impossible to "turn off" They are always on and active, simply somewhat dormant when you turn them off. They are constantly connected to the cloud infrastructure. Hence the need for a Faraday cage to block the signals.

Oh for the days of removable batteries.... ?

 

[Jason B]

I posted this vid as to how GPS, and Google work on your phone. It gets really interesting at 9:15

 

[Sojourner]

I posted this vid as to how GPS, and Google work on your phone. It gets really interesting at 9:15

Wow! That was VERY educational on a number of issues. Thank you.

As an aside I wonder if NextDNS could successfully defeat supl.google.com? Gonna have to check that out....

Again, thank you for the post.

 

[Jason B]

Wow! That was VERY educational on a number of issues. Thank you.

As an aside I wonder if NextDNS could successfully defeat supl.google.com? Gonna have to check that out....

Again, thank you for the post.

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

 

[OrangeStreak]

Well at least it recognized it as not a drive.

USAA now says that after a month or so of bicycle rides the software will retrain itself to pick them up as "this was not a drive"

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