Mozilla’s latest edition of *Privacy Not Included reveals how 25 major car brands collect and share deeply personal data, including sexual activity, facial expressions, and genetic and health information.
Subaru states that by being a passenger, you are considered a user — and by being a user, you have consented to their privacy policy. Several car brands also note that it is a driver’s responsibility to tell passengers about the vehicle’s privacy policies.
No way that holds up in court. But in what situation would that appear in court unless someone has money to burn?
This kind of shit is what makes me not want an EV, that and I guess the ease of repair but that could change with proper regulation and resources. I’m all for EVs but my current relatively effecient ICE car doesn’t spy on me and that’s important as well.
It sort of has something to do with EVs, in that it’s hard to find EVs made before this was standard, so if you’re looking for cars without it it’s hard to find one that doesn’t have an ICE engine.
(Where cars aren’t avoidable, I do prefer they be electric, as, I’m sure, do many, but the privacy concerns are apparently very real.)
(Edit: hydrogen cars are indeed very neat and more environmentally friendly than electric cars, and in the most ideal scenario what unavoidable car/truck/van usage there was would be hydrogen-powered. It is not AFAIK practical for the average consumer at this time and requires substantial infrastructure updates which the individual consumer can’t really do much about beyond lobbying reps, so when it comes down to an individual who does need a car weighing what kind of vehicle to buy, I think it is fair to say that electric cars are better than ICE for the environment but, due to being newer, have more privacy concerns than old ICE vehicles. Neither is as good on either criterion as being able to just go car-free, of course.)
If it makes you feel better, EVs aren’t a real solution to the problems we
face anyways, public transport was always the solution and EVs was a way to get consumers to keep focusing on individualism and consumerism to solve societal problems.
Edit: So many replies falling over themselves about how EVs are a good “baby step”. They’re not. Hydrogen fuel cells is a good baby step. EVs are still extremely extractivist. Lithium batteries are very bad, environmentally speaking. Hydrogen is significantly cleaner. It is avoided because it would require unprofitable infrastructure to be rolled out to support hydrogen vehicles.
EVs aren’t the perfect solution. But they’re less bad than ICE vehicles, and are a good interim measure unless/until public transport becomes more viable.
Don’t let the best get in the way of the good enough for now. It’s OK to be in favor of two things.
Cars will always be the best choice for many many trips for many many kinds of people. Cities are most efficient but not everyone can be in one, and public transit doesn’t work in farmland. We need both. EVs is a way to reduce the use of fossil fuels in transportation. We don’t have time to wait to densify every city and build out good transit networks, that will take decades. EVs have real benefits today. It just sucks modern cars are nightmares.
Rural places and bigots will still need or want personal cars. Some things like a trades work van or delivery service will still need a car/truck. These might as well be developed as electric. EVs are not the solution to our transportation and environmental issues but they are part of it.
No way that holds up in court. But in what situation would that appear in court unless someone has money to burn?
everytime WE get into a car with our friends we ALWAYS read the privacy policy aloud to them right guys
(reads 15 minutes of legalese when the car starts)
“I agree!”
“I agree!”
“I don’t!”
“Isn’t there someone you forgot to ask?”
This kind of shit is what makes me not want an EV, that and I guess the ease of repair but that could change with proper regulation and resources. I’m all for EVs but my current relatively effecient ICE car doesn’t spy on me and that’s important as well.
It’s got nothing to do with EVs.
It’s all cars made in the last 6-8 years.
It sort of has something to do with EVs, in that it’s hard to find EVs made before this was standard, so if you’re looking for cars without it it’s hard to find one that doesn’t have an ICE engine.
(Where cars aren’t avoidable, I do prefer they be electric, as, I’m sure, do many, but the privacy concerns are apparently very real.)
(Edit: hydrogen cars are indeed very neat and more environmentally friendly than electric cars, and in the most ideal scenario what unavoidable car/truck/van usage there was would be hydrogen-powered. It is not AFAIK practical for the average consumer at this time and requires substantial infrastructure updates which the individual consumer can’t really do much about beyond lobbying reps, so when it comes down to an individual who does need a car weighing what kind of vehicle to buy, I think it is fair to say that electric cars are better than ICE for the environment but, due to being newer, have more privacy concerns than old ICE vehicles. Neither is as good on either criterion as being able to just go car-free, of course.)
If it makes you feel better, EVs aren’t a real solution to the problems we face anyways, public transport was always the solution and EVs was a way to get consumers to keep focusing on individualism and consumerism to solve societal problems.
Edit: So many replies falling over themselves about how EVs are a good “baby step”. They’re not. Hydrogen fuel cells is a good baby step. EVs are still extremely extractivist. Lithium batteries are very bad, environmentally speaking. Hydrogen is significantly cleaner. It is avoided because it would require unprofitable infrastructure to be rolled out to support hydrogen vehicles.
EVs aren’t the perfect solution. But they’re less bad than ICE vehicles, and are a good interim measure unless/until public transport becomes more viable.
Don’t let the best get in the way of the good enough for now. It’s OK to be in favor of two things.
Cars will always be the best choice for many many trips for many many kinds of people. Cities are most efficient but not everyone can be in one, and public transit doesn’t work in farmland. We need both. EVs is a way to reduce the use of fossil fuels in transportation. We don’t have time to wait to densify every city and build out good transit networks, that will take decades. EVs have real benefits today. It just sucks modern cars are nightmares.
Rural places and bigots will still need or want personal cars. Some things like a trades work van or delivery service will still need a car/truck. These might as well be developed as electric. EVs are not the solution to our transportation and environmental issues but they are part of it.
My car’s old enough to vote.
How would it vote?
I’d bet it’s all in on whoever supports more fossil fuels.
It’s a Prius, fuckface.
It’s a joke sensitive toes.