Researchers: Every New Car Is a ‘Privacy Nightmare’
The future of transportation might well be an invasion of your privacy. A recent study by the Mozilla Foundation has revealed that modern cars are very much a “privacy nightmare.” The foundation spent a whopping 600 hours analyzing the privacy policies of 25 major car brands. The report paints a chilling picture: not a single brand met Mozilla’s minimum standards for security and privacy.
What’s shocking is the sheer volume and sensitivity of data being collected. From disability status and facial templates to genetic information and even sexual activity, these companies are mining vast amounts of personal data from both their cars and associated apps. Worse yet, 84% of the brands studied feel quite comfortable sharing or selling this personal data. More than half of these brands would readily share your information with government or law enforcement agencies upon request, without requiring a subpoena.
Among these car manufacturers, Nissan has been singled out by Mozilla for having a particularly disturbing privacy policy. Nissan explicitly states it can collect and share highly sensitive personal information for targeted marketing purposes. This includes sexual activity, health diagnosis data, and genetic information. While Nissan’s policy may be the creepiest, Tesla scored the worst on Mozilla’s ranking due to issues with its Autopilot function and potentially dangerous “Full Self-Driving” beta program.
The future seems bleak for those seeking a privacy-focused car. As per Mozilla’s report, “they’re all bad.” The best action one can take is to sign Mozilla’s petition, which urges car companies to stop excessive data collection. So next time you sit behind the wheel, remember that you might just be driving a “privacy nightmare.”
Sources:
- Every New Car Is a ‘Privacy Nightmare,’ Mozilla Researchers Conclude
- From sex life to politics: car driver data grab presents ‘privacy nightmare’, says study
