TomTom GPS Sends Your Speed to The Cops

By Phil Haney in Everything Else on Apr 28, 2011 at 7:08 pm

 

It’s bad enough worrying about the police pulling you over while you’re doing your Vin Diesel  in The Fast and Furious impression on the interstate.   Now however you have real reason to be paranoid. The makers of the TomTom GPS have admitted that they divulge  speed and route information to law enforcement.

It appears every gadget in your possession is tracking your location. First it was the iPhone, then Android phones and now it’s your bleedin’ sat-nav. TomTom, perhaps in a pre-emptive strike against its own user-tracking scandal, has admitted its sat-navs can track users and inform third parties about how fast they’re going.

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  1. Bill
    Apr 28th, 2011 at 7:16 pm

    Not exactly true as stated…Tomtom sends generalized data to the police…a little different than “your” speed.
    Sensationalism

  2. racist
    Apr 28th, 2011 at 7:47 pm

    use this data to prove to your insurance company that you’re a responsible driver for a discount on rates

  3. SnatchaFatCable
    Apr 28th, 2011 at 8:36 pm

    That’s why I stick with DougDoug. Sure I’m lost, but it’s cheaper.

  4. dalucero
    Apr 28th, 2011 at 10:21 pm

    @Bill, Does it send location data with a timestamp? If so, you can calculate speed with two data points.

    Also, does this even matter? It can’t tell who’s driving the car, can it?

  5. Ohhowcomical
    Apr 28th, 2011 at 11:14 pm

    Robbing the customers blind, same ol news.

  6. Marynus
    Apr 29th, 2011 at 12:35 am

    It will only send anonymous data to TomTom, so that they can see/predict traffic jams. The cops were interested in the (anonymous) data, because it allows them to spot where to put speed control (areas with high traffic + high speed).

  7. hmm...
    Apr 29th, 2011 at 3:47 am

    OK, so it’s anonymous. Still; they were doing this without anybody knowing.

    All this secret snooping is getting common place, and I don’t like it.

  8. jermH
    Apr 29th, 2011 at 4:06 am

    A little monitoring never hurt anyone.

  9. Tom123
    Apr 29th, 2011 at 6:09 am

    Yeah, they CLAIM it is anonymous, FOR NOW.

    Does no-one see the clear slippery slope here?

    TomTom should be sued out of existance for this travesty. If they want to use the data for traffic reports, fine, but sharing it with a third party, ESPECIALLY law enforcement without a warrant for each individual on the network, is utterly outrageous.

  10. emmakate
    Apr 29th, 2011 at 6:14 am

    Thank you, Tom123 for being a voice of reason! I 100% agree

  11. Briannana
    Apr 29th, 2011 at 7:33 am

    Agree with Tom123. We’ve got a violation of an amendment going on here, and it’s disgusting.

  12. Seban678
    Apr 29th, 2011 at 2:38 pm

    The question I can’t seem to find any answer to is: have they ever hidden the fact that this anonymous information is available to governments?

    If they haven’t, there’s no reason to treat them as bastards. If law enforcement uses the information in a bastard-y way, then get mad at that.

    I suggest reading the original statement (http://www.tomtom.com/page/facts) rather than someone opinion about it. Because let’s be honest, the tone of the article doesn’t seem all that impartial.

  13. D.Spencer
    Apr 29th, 2011 at 5:21 pm

    This is WRONG on SOOO many different levels! I feel that as a tom-tom user, I own that information it collects ( I paid for it) and I alone should be able to control what happens to this information. If it was to be sold/leased ,I should be compensated as it was my fuel and time and vehicle that collected this information. I feel even to give this information anonymously is a threat to my civil rights as it tells the police where and when to catch me speeding.( I know speeding is against the law) but this is a violation of search and seizure. What’s next ? them having cameras in your home to see what you are up to?- A very slippery slope indeed.

  14. joe jim
    Apr 30th, 2011 at 7:06 pm

    I thought years ago when Onstar was introduced I said its only a matter of time that it rats out your driving habits to your insurance company. If there is money to be made it will happen.
    I also thought about the bluetooth in some cars could be accessed by a police car to check your seatbelt or other possible safety issues.
    My seat belt sensor is faulty and it will sometime indicate the seat belt is not latched. Replaced it once allready.
    I feel its to intrusive.
    “Papers please”


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