Two US senators have called on the FTC to investigate and possibly prosecute three automakers that allegedly illegally sold motorists' personal data for pennies.
Study: Car brands collect and sell owners' data
Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Edward Markey (D-MA) sent a letter [PDF] to US regulator Director Lina Khan on Friday after the pair conducted an investigation into General Motors, Honda and Hyundai. The senators allege that these three manufacturers sold their customers' information to various brokers either without receiving express permission to do so or without even bothering to try.
For example, drivers' personal information, including people's acceleration and brake readings as well as records of their whereabouts, was sold to the credit agency Verisk, which compiled the information into so-called driving behavior data history reports that were then sold to auto insurance giants.
Verisk is said to have calculated a driving score for each motorist, plus offered safer driving suggestions, based on the collected data, which were sent to these drivers as practical tips from the vehicle manufacturers – all while these people's details were traded in the background.
