It's perfectly legal for cars to harvest your texts, call logs

[justaprogressive]

In response to five class-action lawsuits, a Washington appeals court has decided that Honda and several other automakers did nothing wrong by storing text messages and call records from connected smartphones.

Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, and General Motors were all facing charges in separate but related class-action suits that all claimed they violated Washington state privacy laws. The cases were all dismissed in court earlier this year, and the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit decided [PDF] this week they weren't going to reopen the cases to further litigation.

The Circuit judges hearing the case lumped all of them together because "the factual background and legal issues are virtually identical," and dismissed the appeal not because the automakers hadn't done anything wrong, but rather because the claims didn't meet the Washington Privacy Act's (WPA) statutory injury requirements.

"To succeed at the pleading stage of a WPA claim, a plaintiff must allege an injury to 'his or her business, his or her person, or his or her reputation,'" the judges ruled. "Contrary to Plaintiffs' argument, a bare violation of the WPA is insufficient to satisfy the statutory injury requirement."

In other words, it's A-OK for your car to "automatically and without authorization, instantaneously intercept, record, download, store, and [be] capable of transmitting" text messages and call logs since the privacy violation is potential, but the injury not necessarily actual.

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[Aussie105]

1. Assume you have no privacy.

And don't make important phone calls from your car.

Anyone know a source of burner phones? My local drug dealer needs to know.

Next minute: a market for car smarts electronic upgrades collectively called 'Shut-up your car!' opens up.

[Blues Heron]

2. This corporate shit is getting so creepy anymore

[lapfog_1]

3. buy some VPN software for your phone

make only internet calls and texts from the encrypted VPN connection using apps.

[vanlassie]

4. Got a brand to rec?

[lapfog_1]

6. I use NordVPN

but there are many to choose from and I don't like to make recommendations because I haven't tried them all (or rather, I only picked one and use it so I haven't tried any for comparison)

[vanlassie]

8. Thanks

[LauraInLA]

10. Please read my post #8. VPN doesn't help. EOM

[LauraInLA]

9. The problem is

That the car is storing your call and text data — a VPN doesn’t prevent that. If the authorities take a look at your car’s data, it will still include texts and call logs.

The only way around it is to have an old car or not hook up your phone in your car via Bluetooth, USB, etc.

The caveat is that cars are required, the first time you connect your device, to ask your permission to store contacts, data, etc. You can refuse, which will then limit the functionality.

[lapfog_1]

13. I think you missed the second point I made

you can connect your phone to the car and give it access to your contacts, etc.

But after that you connect your phone data connection (not cell ) using VPN. The VPN then encrypts the data going over your internet connection even that of the cars cell connection.

After that, do not use text or voice on your phone, use only apps like whatsapp that connect to an ISP someplace over the VPN.

The Car and therefore the car's vendor, cell provider, etc... only ever see encrypted traffic when you use the apps to place a phone call or send a text message. The car, the car's call home app, and the cell phone company never see what you are doing with the app. All they know is that you sent a stream of packets to NordVPN, including who you are talking to, messaging, or whatever.

Now, at the VPN end point (mine is set to SanFran NordVPM), the encrypted traffic is unencrypted and forwarded to whatsapp or whatever app (or google or whatever)... now there is a chance for intercept and track. But it would take a lot of work and court orders to get that data... and you certainly are just giving it to Tesla or someone.

The exception is the cell location of your phone / car. There isn't much you can do about that except not use your phone and deny the car company any tracking data. I don't anticipate committing any crimes so I don't care about that... and if I was I hope I would be smart enough to use a dumb device (bicycle/motorbike/etc) or rent a car using a fake identity.

[LauraInLA]

14. Aha, I think this is the disconnect we're having!

The issue would be, that before the data gets to the VPN, it’s already connected to and is stored in your car. Using Signal or another encrypted messaging app will help, but it won’t completely solve the problem.

I’m sorry — I’m afraid I’m not explaining it well. I’ll ask my partner for more details — they’ve been working in this space for a couple of decades and are not pleased with this development.

[MagickMuffin]

5. I never activated my OnStar account because of reasons

1. Maps: apparently OnStar is involved in helping you with your destination. I didn’t want them knowing that information, so google maps works just fine.

2. Using their phone service, while it was kinda cool to have the feature, it also is a distraction. I don’t like talking on the phone while driving.

[hunter]

7. My old cars don't have the smarts to do that.

I'll be rather upset if I'm ever forced to buy a car that does.

[joshcryer]

11. Translation: This law is meaningless.

[dalton99a]

12. FWIW 7 Steps To Remove Personal Vehicle Data (GM)

https://www.gmfinancial.com/en-us/financial-resources/articles/remove-vehicle-data.html
7 Steps To Remove Personal Vehicle Data
By Lori Tutt / 08/29/2023 / Your Car