Consumers May Trade Privacy For Convenience

In the latest uproar over privacy and technology, Samsung is feeling some heat over a certain inclusion within their Privacy Policy in regards to their Smart TVs that has the public alarmed and many comparing it to the famous George Orwell novel, 1984. The specific passage that is worrisome to consumers is:

“Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party.”

This concern, while certainly not a new one, has raised a furor simply because Samsung was so blunt within its privacy policy. Voice recognition features have existed for a while now. There have been many instances where consumers and technology experts have voiced concerns over the abuse that this technology brings with it. From video game systems with voice recognition and cameras, phones with digital assistants to vehicles, concerns over privacy and data will only increase.

In the automotive world, the largest player to date has been OnStar. Many view this as a passive device that can be used at the discretion of the drivers and passengers in the vehicle. What many people don’t think about is that a few of OnStar’s most beneficial features mandate an always-on connection. If a vehicle is in an accident, OnStar is notified and operators have the ability to activate the system in your vehicle and inquire as to whether a potential accident victim needs assistance. This feature indicates that OnStar is far from a passive system but rather one that is always connected and could be used in a similar fashion as the Smart TV.

As automakers rush to integrate technology from Apple (CarPlay) and Google (Android Auto) into vehicles, they themselves have expressed concerns over hacking as well as the loss of control over vehicle technology that they are just now discovering. Apple is notoriously protective of its operating system and will retain control of features that are allowed (or disallowed) within vehicles. Today saw the release of the iOS 8.3 beta for developers that brings wireless support for CarPlay. This new feature allows consumers with vehicles that support CarPlay the ability to connect to this feature wirelessly removing the necessity to plug the phone into the vehicle. Phones are also amongst the always-connected technology devices prone to hackers and potential privacy concerns.

There has also recently been a movement in the automotive industry to transform vehicles into mobile hotspots that brings its own vulnerabilities in access to personal data contained in cell phones connected to vehicles that do not have CarPlay or Android Auto. There have been many instances of malware being introduced into phones by unscrupulous developers especially on the Android end, which is less policed than Apple.

As all these technologies converge into our lives and automobiles, we are sure to see more privacy concerns arise. There is little doubt that instances of abuse will arise and automakers will be forced to deal with an irate public blaming them for a technology they have little to no control over.