General Motors to Pay $220 Million in 36-State Settlement: Automaker Accused of Illegally Selling Drivers' Location and Behavior Data
Attorneys general from 36 states announced on October 29 that General Motors will pay $220 million to settle allegations that the automaker illegally sold its customers' driving behavior and location data.
The attorneys general alleged that GM collected driving-behavior and geolocation data through its OnStar Smart Driver feature and sold the data to data brokers without adequately informed consent. The brokers in turn resold the data to insurance companies, which in some cases used it in setting or adjusting premiums.
The multistate action was co-led by the attorneys general of Washington and Oregon, with an executive committee that included the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Utah and Vermont.
Under the settlement, GM must obtain consumers' affirmative express consent before collecting or disclosing driving and location data, must limit the data it collects, and must maintain a comprehensive privacy program.
State shares of the settlement include approximately $10.5 million for Illinois, about $8.67 million for Pennsylvania, $7.33 million for Maryland, about $7.2 million for Colorado, $5.9 million for Arizona, $4,726,779 for Delaware and $2,508,188 for Alaska.
The agreement resolves the states' allegations. Drivers can review their vehicle brand's privacy terms for location and driving-data provisions and manage data-sharing options in their in-vehicle settings.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 通用汽车总部所在地底特律文艺复兴中心（资料图）。公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / The Renaissance Center in Detroit, headquarters of General Motors (file photo). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
