Hawaii: Office of Consumer Protection Announces Multistate Settlement With General Motors
Hawaii's Office of Consumer Protection announced on October 29 that General Motors will pay $220 million to settle allegations that it illegally sold consumers' private driver-behavior and location data. Hawaii joined a coalition of 36 attorneys general and will receive $2,861,340.
The states alleged that from 2016 to 2024 GM enrolled millions of drivers in its Smart Driver program and sold the driving and location data it collected to data brokers, who resold it to insurance companies that used it in setting rates.
Investigators also found that the OnStar app mistakenly told more than 370,000 drivers they were not enrolled while GM was in fact collecting and selling their data, and that the company later quietly unenrolled them. GM discontinued Smart Driver after news reporting exposed the practice.
The settlement requires GM to obtain affirmative, express consent before collecting or disclosing driving and location data, to limit the data it collects, to maintain a comprehensive privacy program with internal and external assessments, and to strengthen dealer oversight and training. The case was co-led by the Washington and Oregon attorneys general.
Mana Moriarty, executive director of the Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection, said where drivers go and how they drive is highly sensitive personal information, and companies cannot sell it without drivers knowing.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 夏威夷州议会大厦，位于檀香山（资料图）。CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / The Hawaii State Capitol in Honolulu (file photo). CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
