Wall Street Journal (02/17/16) Spector, Mike
Apple will resist a court order to unlock an iPhone in the name of protecting consumer data. Auto makers, on the other hand, have other ideas. Americans often authorize these companies to collect mass amounts of data when purchasing a car. While the auto makers have developed voluntary privacy principles to protect consumer data, these principles do not necessitate customer permission before sharing data in response to a subpoena or similar inquiry. Permission isn’t required when data is used or shared “as reasonably necessary to comply with a lawful government request, regulatory requirement, legal order, or similar obligation,” according to a letter car company representatives sent to the Federal Trade Commission in November 2014. And a recent report found large cybersecurity gaps in vehicles that raised questions over how car companies treat data. The voluntary principles are in the spotlight, with some contending they do not ensure consumers can prevent data collection. This includes black boxes, which can track crash data and figures relating to air bag deployments, vehicle speed, and other information. Auto makers have recently launched a research initiative aimed at evaluating and sharing information about cybersecurity threats.
Apple will resist a court order to unlock an iPhone in the name of protecting consumer data. Auto makers, on the other hand, have other ideas. Americans often authorize these companies to collect mass amounts of data when purchasing a car. While the auto makers have developed voluntary privacy principles to protect consumer data, these principles do not necessitate customer permission before sharing data in response to a subpoena or similar inquiry. Permission isn’t required when data is used or shared “as reasonably necessary to comply with a lawful government request, regulatory requirement, legal order, or similar obligation,” according to a letter car company representatives sent to the Federal Trade Commission in November 2014. And a recent report found large cybersecurity gaps in vehicles that raised questions over how car companies treat data. The voluntary principles are in the spotlight, with some contending they do not ensure consumers can prevent data collection. This includes black boxes, which can track crash data and figures relating to air bag deployments, vehicle speed, and other information. Auto makers have recently launched a research initiative aimed at evaluating and sharing information about cybersecurity threats.