Is TomTom Violating Your Privacy?

alncc1701 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 21, 2007 Posts: 17

When I updated my TomTom it stopped all my live traffic services and said I could not have any unless I signed away my right not to be tracked.

We are being tracked in general today in many places and our data is being sent to faceless people managing databases about us. Mobile phones, internet browsers, CCTV and satnavs too. All in the name of protecting us or improving customer services. I just get the feeling this obsession with monitoring very closely what an individual gets upto can only end in tears one day.

Anonymous statistics are not as anonymous when they are pooled together and analysed. Are any TomTom users concerned with their privacy and tracking policy? Should everyone give them the data they are asking for, or should they have less, or none at all? I am glad they at least flagged up a notice to warn me of them sending data and trying to layout what they would like to take from my device. That is good, but I think they should only be allowed a lot less information.

These are some of the issues that I am uneasy about from their notice:

1. They appear to ask for continuous monitoring of every route I take from beginning till the destination.
2. They know my device's identity info and link it to my account name.
3. All Google internet searches from the device are sent back to their databases.

Overtime this information will list out my everyday habits to a very high degree. They will know everywhere I drive and the places I visit regularly and at what times. If one of the places I visit also happens to be a TomTom user, and that user happens to drive to my house regularly they might guess that we might be friends or family.

If we agree to share all of this data it will almost certainly be a matter of time before all the satnav companies will do the same and begin asking to share our data with each other. Then our travel habits will be known about by these companies. Why is there such interest in tracking us to the limit? It is very shameful I feel and invasive.

And one day, the databases that are built up about our travel habits will probably be hacked or leaked out by a corrupt employee at TomTom. Then perhaps posted on the internet for all to see. Maybe some of that data might be a lot less anonymous that what we realize and some prominent people in society might have their movement habits exposed. Who knows?

Right now I am thinking about getting a different satnav that respects personal privacy, unless they come to some agreement with their customers about what info is okay to share and what is not.

Sigh!

Any comments or ideas?

Al

spook51

technik · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 2:57 pm Post subject:

Live in a cave, and don't use the internet or a mobile phone.
_________________
GO 620, Tomtom Android EU,
Garmin 2548LMT-D; 2599LMT-D

technik · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 2:58 pm Post subject:

Live in a cave, and don't use the internet or a mobile phone.
_________________
GO 620, Tomtom Android EU,
Garmin 2548LMT-D; 2599LMT-D

xtraseller · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:46 pm Post subject:

Well, you could switch of HD Traffic and all that goes with it

It works on the sharing of data - and I wouldn't want you to benefit from my data, if I could not in return benefit from yours

There is the acceptable face of data collection - ie. TomTom HD Traffic where we can all (most) see the need, benefit and agree to its collection and use

Then there is Google, etc. where it becomes simply overpowering, intrusive and in the end, where switching off is the better solution
_________________
TomTom Go Live 6100, 600
Garmin DriveLux 50, D-Smart 70, NuviCam, 3598, 2699, 2798
Mio Navman 695
Nexus 6p, Apple iPhone 6sPlus and Microsoft Lumia 950xl running TomTom, Garmin, CoPilot, Navigon, Sygic, Here Drive, Google, Waze, MS Maps

pward · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 15, 2005 Posts: 57

Hmm..you say 'Anonymous statistics are not as anonymous when they are pooled together and analysed'. I don't agree with this. If you have two sets of anonymous data, one from Person A and one from Person B and you pool and analyse them, how is that 'not as anonymous'? It is simply two datasets which may, or may not, coincide in some way. If it's anonymous there's nothing to infer about the people - it's simply journeys 'people' have made.

Anonymity seems to be the crux of your argument and TomTom say they anonymise the data. I suppose a version of the data linked to identities COULD exist and it COULD leak/get hacked but it's a low likelihood and if it did occur TomTom would then be subject to action under the Dutch Data Protection Act. Too late, you may argue but in such cases action is taken.

If you aren't happy taking this particular risk by giving them permission to collect the data then you can decline, and not receive the benefit of HD traffic any more.

Personally I am fairly risk-averse and careful with my personal data but I decided the benefits outweighed the potential risk.

AliOnHols · Pocket GPS Verifier Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 1941

Guivre46 · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 11:16 pm Post subject:

....and if the device is registered with a dummy email address?
_________________
Mike R [aka Wyvern46]
Go 530T - unsupported
Go550 Live [not renewed]
Kia In-dash Tomtom

pward · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 15, 2005 Posts: 57

M8TJT · Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:44 am Post subject:

mikealder · Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 10:22 am Post subject:

They have already sold data to the Police in one country which could let them (The Police) know where motorists speed and therefore position speed cameras as a result of the data sold by TomTom.

What annoys me is the fact you pay for the service, TomTom yet again change the terms and conditions post purchase leaving the user stranded, ok you can agree to the new T&C's but if you don't you are denied access to the services purchased.

There have been too many alterations "post purchase" by TomTom over the past few years, (HD Traffic range being another classic example) I wouldn't trust them one bit these days - Mike

alncc1701 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 21, 2007 Posts: 17

Thanks for most of the replies. Rowdy teenagers not included.

I just wish to say that I am not against TomTom or any company doing legitimite business, but if any company tries to put their eyeballs into my life too closely, or that of my family, I really dislike that.

I think the main problem is there does not seem to be an open discussion between companies and their customers about what exactly the customer, would and would not, be prepared to reveal with their data. It seems like TomTom here just wrote up a semi-detailed list of what it wanted to take and expected customers to stomach it. Why did they not first tell customers what data they would like to collect, and check to see if customers were happy with that data being sent back to TomTom? If customers wanted certain things not sent back, then TomTom, if it
respects privacy, should comply.

It would be nice if TomTom would publish a highly detailed list on their website of all data requests the devices collect and send back, so that customers could be well informed about just what is leaving the device. And if enough people were unhappy with certain things, then they would remove those particular requests.

In reply to PWard. I agree with what you wrote. It is hard to always explain these things clearly, because they are complicated. One risk I see with anonymous statistics becoming identifiable would be for famous people:

Addresses of people who are well-known are widely available on the internet. Any vehicles watched by satnav employees coming
and going from such addresses could have lots of inferences made about them. Networks built over time of places they all visited
regularly.

This does not seem to be a risk to the average satnav user, unless somehow a company employee got hold a list of names
and addresses of all UK residents. Presumably the post office has a list of names and address. If such a database list were to leak out
then TomTom might know most of its customers by name.

I don't know whether the customer will ever be listened too these days. Much software automatically sends off details about its customer/user straight back to home base without even asking if it OK to send. What details being sent back vary from harmless to severe.

I don't know what the solution is, but I think if there was more dialogue and agreement between company and customer, then that would be a
good start. Perhaps it might take a severe privacy breach, or embarrassment to a major celebrity to bring these potential problems into
public view more clearly.

Al

Guivre46 · Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 10:21 pm Post subject:

To invert the argument. Road Angel charge for it as a service:

'Tracking

Especially handy for commercial users, for a small additional subscription cost per month, you can track your Connected device on a Microsoft Virtual Earth map. Your mileage and journey information will automatically be recorded, streamlining expense claims and mileage capture.'
_________________
Mike R [aka Wyvern46]
Go 530T - unsupported
Go550 Live [not renewed]
Kia In-dash Tomtom

Andy_P · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:27 am Post subject:

Andy_P · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:35 am Post subject:

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