Not 10 minutes after I got home with my new truck, I ripped the back panel off and unplugged everything from the TCU. No spying on me the rat bast***s!

 

The difference is that people selling something are using their name and picture of their face associated with the marketplace ad if they are on Facebook. Lots of people have private profiles so you can't see anything more than a profile picture and a name. When you see their vehicle and plate you can search in some states and get their address but a plate alone won't allow you to get identifiable info. When you drive down the road no one knows who is associated with that vehicle so how many people sit there and search every plate they see besides the police?

I cant imagine being so ok with letting someone invade your privacy for thwir own profit. Especially after spending $70k+. They need your data to help prop up the failing EV business.

 

Apple and Google are two of the biggest money makers when it comes to personal metadata. Our phones know what we search for, where we are/were, what we text, etc. We’ll never leave the house without our phones though. We’re too reliant on instant data for that. Unfortunately, we’re so far into the data collecting world that shutting down truck telematics is basically swatting a mosquito while in the jungle.

 

With that mentality we will be like China and the UK in no time. You do know that you have the ability to put your phone down and not take it with you everywhere you go right? If you get anxiety about it when you can't find it that is the same brain wave response as someone with missing limb syndrome. That is a conditioning. I dont take my phone with me everytime I leave the house. I used to choose camping locations strictly because of the lack of cell reception. If you want to just give up thats on you but don't project that foolish point of view on everyone else because you don't care about your privacy. Why not just leave your door unlocked at night so whoever can just walk in? I mean they can just view you through your cameras anyway right?

 

My comment doesn’t necessarily describe my life, but the reality of the world we live in. We love our smart devices like thermostats, home assistants like Google Home/Alexa, smart locks, lights, plugs. All of those are Internet connected. Appliances are connected. Latest trend is Mesh wireless (which I’ve spent the past 35 year career in Networking/Security). The big wireless mesh home devices are made by Google and Amazon. They may seem innocent but are still used to see where we go regardless of device. Your Smart TV also logs what you watch and that data is used and sold. Cable TV monitors and sells what you watch. Not my mentality making the US go toward where you say, but just stating facts on who’s gathering data.

You’ve called me out on a few threads and it’s kinda weird how sensitive you get sometimes. Chill a bit and accept not everyone is a snowflake/anxiety driven just because they might not be you. No need to be so dramatic all the time. No anxiety here, just realistic.

You’re a smart dude and I’ve lurked here for years and have actually learned a lot from you. Bought a newer truck and wanted to get more active lately. Might have been a mistake.

 

We do not love our smart devices. There are plenty of people that do not want the tech and just want a stripped down truck. I am forced to have a backup camera so why not have a bigger screen? Well, the cameras dont work half the time. How many people purchased a new Super Duty and knew it was harvesting massive amounts of data on them including their conversations in the cab? I bet A LOT of them are not OK with that and would opt out but they don't have a choice. It isnt just a vehicle anymore.

I will never stop fiercly advocating for personal privacy and personal security.

 

This is your way of advocating privacy? Seems more like your normal MO of attacking anyone that has a different view. Mods should really look into your comment history. Again, I think you have provided a ton of great technical content here but the personal BS is getting old.

 

You are welcome to stop participating. I would never tell someone to just let it happen because everything else is doing it. Telling people how to disable data harvesting on your truck is advocating. Telling people to read the FordPass terms of service and not agree is advocating. Telling people to just forget about it is not and is a terrible position. It is more than disagreeing with me it is bad advice for anyone in America to just accept it.

You are welcome to stop participating at any point no one is forcing you to repsond. If the mods deem anything against the terms of the forum then I'll gladly let them remove me..

 

Please go back and read my posts and quote anything that supports that I’m saying I agree with data collection or tell the group to let it happen. I never said for anyone to forget about it. I personally would prefer a world without data collection but understand that it takes more than unplugging the truck to prevent location tracking by big money. Saying this doesn’t support it but raises awareness. We’re on the same side of the argument but you seem to want to use mental gymnastics to paint me as the enemy and make it personal for some reason. It’s a recurring theme.

I’ve tried to find your advice for us to read FordPass terms of service but may have missed it. You might be surprised to see any websites privacy statement. Even Ford-Trucks shares data. It’s in the privacy statement page. Opt out is always an option for any site/service collecting data and Ford-Trucks and FordPass both allow this.

 

I did go back and re-read your comments. Particularly the one about everybody tracking you and it being like swatting a mosquito in a jungle. I apologize if you felt personally attacked. I was attacking the idea that everything does it so disconnecting your truck is futile. I should have let it go but it seemed like you were continuing to reinforce the point that this or that is already tracking you. There is the same argument made in all of the threads about FordPass's creepy terms of service and disconnecting your trucks connectivity. I didn't see the point of bringing up more items that track you because it comes off as dismissing the idea of disconnecting your truck. Even when you say you agree with the stance.

 

Nowhere in my comments do I agree with any stance promoting data gathering. The swatting a mosquito comment was geared towards how hard it is to get away from it in today’s world, not a blessing for it. Again, I believe we are on the same side of the privacy concern argument which I did state, but you’re not reading that part for some reason and continue to gaslight. You do you but I was only adding to what I thought was a good conversation at the time.

 

I'm not gaslighting. I'm also not trying to distract from the original issue, disconnecting these trucks. If someone's refrigerator is reporting back to the overlords what food they buy or listening to them that doesn't have any bearing on these trucks eavesdropping and storing all that info or selling it. Ford IS walking a slippery slope and God willing we get some representation that will take steps to stop this nefarious data harvest en masse with protective legislation. It is pretty agregious to think you spend $60k-$100k+ on a vehicle and the manufacturer dupes you into downloading their app under the guise of user convenience but in the fine print is just using the consumer as a commodity.

If you were in cyber security for decades you should tell people how to mitigate the swath of data collection across these devices. My only advice is to stop buying things that do this as much as possible. Stop agreeing to the terms of service. These trucks don't exactly give you the option without disconnecting fuses and unplugging modules. Even without the FordPass app when you plug into the USB port they are harvesting data. I use the 120v outlet or cigarette light style 12v plug in to charge if I do charge my phone while in the truck.

 

I wish I had the time to research every device and help educate everyone but that’s not realistic. I did take one service (this site) and educate that the parent company does share data and it says so in the Privacy Statement in the menu. It also gives instructions on how to opt out which I also stated earlier.

If your main concern is singular to Ford, then I agree with most of your sentiments and would never invalidate those concerns. I’d say that as long as you’ve disconnected the data transmission methods in the truck, AND don’t connect ANY phone to Bluetooth or CarPlay, then you’ve done a pretty good job. The truck may still log data but you’d need to be diligent with isolating that data from all outbound transmission methods. Data will be there looking for a way out.

Going further, if where you go or say is a concern while driving, be aware that Apple Maps, Google Maps, etc all keep a history in the cloud. Again, their business models revolve around data collection and sharing. It’s one of the biggest money making methods in the world today and they are all selling it. I want to clarify that I’m not promoting it and if privacy is a concern be aware. Nobody knows all of the buyers for any of the sellers.

My decisions whether to allow data collection for a service or be concerned is mine to make. Along the same lines, your decisions on those matters are yours to make and only for you to make. They are personal choices and neither decision is wrong but should be evaluated on a risk/reward basis.

 

Lol so no one has an OTA update to report it seems

 

I was wondering the same thing. This seems to have turned into a pissing match.

Don’t feed the trolls.