Consumer_Action_Taskforce

Subaru Starlink: Difference between revisions

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* '''Personal Information'''
* '''Personal Information'''
** Names, addresses, and contact details
** Names, addresses, and contact details.
** Phone numbers and email addresses
** Phone numbers and email addresses.
** Social Security numbers (in specific cases)
** Social Security numbers (in specific cases).
** Driver's license numbers
** Driver's license numbers.
** Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN)
** Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN).
* '''Vehicle Data'''
* '''Vehicle Data'''
** Location and GPS coordinates
** Location and GPS coordinates.
** Speed, acceleration, & braking patterns
** Speed, acceleration, & braking patterns.
** Time & duration of trips
** Time & duration of trips.
** Maintenance & diagnostic information
** Maintenance & diagnostic information.
** Sensor data, such as crash severity, tire pressure & coolant temperature
** Sensor data, such as crash severity, tire pressure & coolant temperature.
* '''Audio/Biometric Data'''
* '''Audio/Biometric Data'''
** Audio recordings via onboard microphones
** Audio recordings via onboard microphones.
** Voice data from STARLINK service center calls
** Voice data from STARLINK service center calls.
** Biometric data from driver attention monitoring systems
** Biometric data from driver attention monitoring systems.
** Search content and commands issued by occupants
** Search content and commands issued by occupants.


=== Collection Methods ===
=== Collection Methods ===
Data collection is performed through:
Data collection is performed through:
* Vehicle sensors and diagnostic modules<ref name="MozillaReview">{{cite web |url=https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/subaru/ |title=Mozilla Foundation Privacy Review: Subaru |publisher=Mozilla Foundation |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>.
* Vehicle sensors and diagnostic modules.<ref name="MozillaReview">{{cite web |url=https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/subaru/ |title=Mozilla Foundation Privacy Review: Subaru |publisher=Mozilla Foundation |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>
* GPS tracking systems
* GPS tracking systems.
* Cellular connectivity modules
* Cellular connectivity modules.
* STARLINK mobile apps & web portals<ref name="MozillaReview" />.
* STARLINK mobile apps & web portals.<ref name="MozillaReview" />


== Data Sharing and Sales ==
== Data Sharing and Sales ==
=== Third Party Data Sharing ===
=== Third Party Data Sharing ===
Subaru shares data with several entities, including:
Subaru shares data with several entities, including:
* Data brokers, such as LexisNexis<ref>[https://www.subaru.com/support/privacy-policies/vehicle-privacy-notice.html https://www.subaru.com/support/privacy-policies/vehicle-privacy-notice.html]</ref> & Verisk<ref name="TorqueNews">{{cite web |url=https://www.torquenews.com/1084/subaru-now-involved-vehicle-data-collection-lawsuit-investigation |title=Vehicle Data Collection Lawsuit |publisher=Torque News |date=2024-05-21 |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref><ref name="NYT">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html |title=Automakers Are Sharing Drivers’ Data |publisher=New York Times |date=2024-03-11 |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>.
* Data brokers, such as LexisNexis<ref>[https://www.subaru.com/support/privacy-policies/vehicle-privacy-notice.html https://www.subaru.com/support/privacy-policies/vehicle-privacy-notice.html]</ref> & Verisk.<ref name="TorqueNews">{{cite web |url=https://www.torquenews.com/1084/subaru-now-involved-vehicle-data-collection-lawsuit-investigation |title=Vehicle Data Collection Lawsuit |publisher=Torque News |date=2024-05-21 |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref><ref name="NYT">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html |title=Automakers Are Sharing Drivers’ Data |publisher=New York Times |date=2024-03-11 |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>
* Insurance companies for risk assessment and pricing<ref name="TorqueNews" />.
* Insurance companies for risk assessment and pricing.<ref name="TorqueNews" />
* Marketing firms
* Marketing firms.
* Emergency services and law enforcement (when required by law)
* Emergency services and law enforcement (when required by law).
* Subaru dealerships and distributors
* Subaru dealerships and distributors.
* Third-party service providers<ref name="SubaruPrivacy" />.
* Third-party service providers.<ref name="SubaruPrivacy" />




=== Insurance Industry Usage ===
=== Insurance Industry Usage ===
Data brokers aggregate and sell this information to insurance companies, who may:
Data brokers aggregate and sell this information to insurance companies, who may:
* Hike insurance premiums based on driving patterns
* Hike insurance premiums based on driving patterns.
* Monitor driving behaviors to assess risk
* Monitor driving behaviors to assess risk.
* Use driving data for personalized coverage offerings<ref name="NYT">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html |title=Automakers Are Sharing Drivers’ Data |publisher=New York Times |date=2024-03-11 |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>.
* Use driving data for personalized coverage offerings.<ref name="NYT">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html |title=Automakers Are Sharing Drivers’ Data |publisher=New York Times |date=2024-03-11 |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>


== Privacy Concerns ==
== Privacy Concerns ==
=== Consent Issues ===
=== Consent Issues ===
Key concerns include:
Key concerns include:
* Simply being a passenger in a STARLINK-equipped vehicle constitutes consent<ref name="MozillaReview" />.
* Simply being a passenger in a STARLINK-equipped vehicle constitutes consent.<ref name="MozillaReview" />
* Lack of active notification during data collection.
* Lack of active notification during data collection.
* Limited opt-out options that might impact vehicle functionality.
* Limited opt-out options that might impact vehicle functionality.
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=== Opt-Out Difficulties ===
=== Opt-Out Difficulties ===
Subaru’s opt-out process involves:
Subaru’s opt-out process involves:
* Submitting detailed personal information
* Submitting detailed personal information.
* Potentially long response times
* Potentially long response times.
* No verification mechanism for successful opt-out<ref name="ConsumerForum">{{cite web |url=https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/privacy-not-included-subaru-report-connected-services-etc.556583/ |title=Privacy Report Discussion |publisher=Subaru Outback Forums |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>.
* No verification mechanism for successful opt-out.<ref name="ConsumerForum">{{cite web |url=https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/privacy-not-included-subaru-report-connected-services-etc.556583/ |title=Privacy Report Discussion |publisher=Subaru Outback Forums |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>


=== Legal Challenges ===
=== Legal Challenges ===
Subaru faces legal scrutiny for:
Subaru faces legal scrutiny for:
* Allegations of insufficiently dislcosing their data collection policies & what they are doing
* Allegations of insufficiently dislcosing their data collection policies & what is being done with the data.
* Potential non-compliance with privacy laws
* Potential non-compliance with privacy laws.
* Class-action lawsuit investigations over consent practices<ref name="TorqueNews" />.
* Class-action lawsuit investigations over consent practices.<ref name="TorqueNews" />


== Technical Details ==
== Technical Details ==
=== System Architecture ===
=== System Architecture ===
STARLINK is built upon:
STARLINK is built upon:
* Embedded telematics devices
* Embedded telematics devices.
* 4G LTE cellular networks
* 4G LTE cellular networks.
* GPS receivers & cloud-based data processing systems<ref name="StarlinkTerms">{{cite web |url=https://www.subaru.com/support/terms-and-conditions/subaru-starlink/subaru-starlink-services.html |title=Subaru STARLINK Terms and Conditions |publisher=Subaru |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>.
* GPS receivers & cloud-based data processing systems.<ref name="StarlinkTerms">{{cite web |url=https://www.subaru.com/support/terms-and-conditions/subaru-starlink/subaru-starlink-services.html |title=Subaru STARLINK Terms and Conditions |publisher=Subaru |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref>


=== Data Transmission ===
=== Data Transmission ===
* Real-time data transmission via LTE networks
* Real-time data transmission via LTE networks.
* Local storage when connectivity is unavailable<ref name="StarlinkTerms" />.
* Local storage when connectivity is unavailable.<ref name="StarlinkTerms" />


== Consumer Protection Issues ==
== Consumer Protection Issues ==
=== Privacy Rights ===
=== Privacy Rights ===
Critics cite:
Critics cite:
* Minimal control over data retention
* Minimal control over data retention.
* Broad sharing permissions in privacy policies
* Broad sharing permissions in privacy policies.
* Limited transparency about how data is used<ref name="MozillaReview" />.
* Limited transparency about how data is used.<ref name="MozillaReview" />


=== Economic Harm ===
=== Economic Harm ===
* Insurance rate adjustments based on driving data
* Insurance rate adjustments based on driving data.
* Subscription fees for connected services
* Subscription fees for connected services.
* Potential effects on vehicle resale value<ref name="NYT" />.
* Potential effects on vehicle resale value.<ref name="NYT" />


== References ==
== References ==
Retrieved from "https://consumerrights.wiki/wiki/Subaru_Starlink"