Are Gafam the dunces of privacy through their online services and their large collections of personal data? It is no longer so certain. Another family of actors is also known for its bad practices.
It may not be obvious to their users, but cars, increasingly connected, collect large volumes of data. And manufacturers clearly still need to make progress on the subject of privacy, notes Mozilla.
Modern cars: a nightmare
“It’s official: Cars are the worst product category we’ve ever examined for privacy,” say its researchers, who reviewed 25 brands and devoted more than 600 hours to the analysis manufacturers’ privacy policies.
The results are therefore severe and modernization does not rhyme with good practices. “Modern cars are a privacy nightmare,” says Mozilla. All brands receive the “privacy not included” label.
First observation: the automobile brands scrutinized collect a lot of data, and even “more personal data than necessary.” In addition, the information collected is sometimes unrelated to the operation of the vehicle or the management of the relationship with the customer.
Manufacturers can also claim the right to collect very intimate information, including for example on the sex life of users, but also the driving speed, and the songs listened to while driving.
Sale of data: 76% of manufacturers plan for it
But what do manufacturers then do with this data? They use them in particular as part of their own research, their marketing or for “commercial purposes”, a final “very vague” purpose.
Additionally, “most (84%) of the auto brands we studied say they may share your personal data with service providers, data brokers, and other companies about whom we know little, if anything, Everything. Worse still, nineteen (76%) say they can sell your personal data.”
56% say they may be required to share data with the government or law enforcement in response to a request. “This is not a court decision, but something as simple as an informal request,” complains Mozilla.
Tesla king of tech, not privacy
Among the 25 brands passed the X-ray are the French Renault and Dacia. And the latter rank among the ‘best’, even if they also inherit the label “privacy not included.” Researchers attribute the following comment to them: “As far as we can tell, they’re not that bad.” We have known more dithyrambic.
Concern remains about Renault regarding the systematic encryption of all personal data stored in cars. For Mozilla, Dacia and Renault undoubtedly benefit from the restrictive European regulatory framework.
American manufacturers are thus showing themselves to be less scrupulous in the area of privacy. Tesla, Elon Musk’s company, stands out, but not in a good way. “They’re not the worst car company we’ve looked at. That’s something they’re good at. That doesn’t mean they’re good….” Again, the praise is not obvious.