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FTC Bans Ford Rival GM From Sharing Driver Data

The topics of data sharing and privacy have been at the top of consumers’ minds for some time now, and for good reason. After all, with the rise of connected vehicle technology, the cars we own and drive are collecting and sharing more data than ever before. Problem is, it’s often difficult to tell precisely who that data is being shared with and for what reason, concerns that recently came to life when Ford’s cross-town rival General Motors was caught sharing data with insurance providers without owner consent or knowledge. Now, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has come down hard on GM for that particular practice.

A front three quarters view of the 2025 Cadillac Escalade.

According to GM Authority, the FTC has revealed a new proposal that bans both GM and OnStar from sending data revolving around a driver’s location and behavior to consumer reporting agencies. The FTC’s complaint accuses GM of using deceptive practices to encourage customers to enroll in OnStar services such as Smart Driver, which in some cases have led to higher insurance rates for those same customers – prompting a lawsuit that was filed last March.

Smart Driver collected a bevy of driver data including when drivers brake in an aggressive manner and exceed the speed limit, information that was previously being sold to third-party insurance providers before GM ditched in last May. As a result of the FTC’s actions, GM must now get explicit consent from customers before it can collect this type of data, and customers must also be provided with easy access to that data and be offered the ability to delete it and place limits on relocation tracking, while GM and OnStar are banned from disclosing that info to consumer reporting agencies for five years. If either violates that order, they face fines of up to $51,744 per violation.

Shortly after GM found itself in hot water over its data sharing practices, Ford issued a statement informing customers that it “hasn’t sold or shared any connected vehicle data” with those same third-party insurance providers, while also reminding users that they must give explicit permission to insurers if they opt to enroll in a usage-based plan. A subsequent study found that Ford’s privacy policies are fairly easy to understand for most folks, too.

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.

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