Recent discussion on NC's providing data to insurance companies thru LexisNexus, but it may be much worse...
www.nsxprime.com
It appears that a number of common apps are funded by collecting driving data for insurance companies. Anyone else using Gas Buddy before this article came out?
nypost.com
I feel like I need to review every app on my phone, although I wonder if even that will help, as I think Google's Location services switch now only turns off access for non-Google apps. I suspect Google is still collecting all this location data for themselves anyway and may well decide to start selling it.
The problem is that this secret data collection sometimes lacks context, like service personnel testing your car. I once used one voluntarily to reduce my insurance rates, but I had to start over several times because it kept tagging me for frequent speeding while cycling because the ap assigned a limit of 20 kph to bike lanes, when the actual limit is 50 kph for bike lanes adjacent to regular roads. I guess I'm lucky they didn't tag me for driving on a bike path. Once I left my phone at home while cycling, I had no difficulty achieving 100% score for 3 months to qualify for 25% savings, well worth it to me. But the ap comments suggested that many folks were unable to drive to the goals, "To get high scores, you have to be looking ahead, anticipating traffic patterns and stop lights!" - Well, yes. (It also dinged you for texting while driving, unsurprisingly, so don't have a friend answer texts for you while you're driving if the app is active, but secret data collection probably can't differentiate.)
Is Acura selling info to LexisNexis ???
I wonder why my Geico insurance was canceled after 20 years with them and no claims or tickets. I was told that my NSX and 2010 TL is a race car and it can't be insured. They would insure s2K and Odyssey. Those don't have Acura link.
www.nsxprime.com
It appears that a number of common apps are funded by collecting driving data for insurance companies. Anyone else using Gas Buddy before this article came out?
Car insurance companies secretly collecting driver data with the help of phone apps: report
The subscription-based apps Life360, MyRadar and Gas Buddy are providing user data to an Allstate-owned company, Arity.
nypost.com
I feel like I need to review every app on my phone, although I wonder if even that will help, as I think Google's Location services switch now only turns off access for non-Google apps. I suspect Google is still collecting all this location data for themselves anyway and may well decide to start selling it.
The problem is that this secret data collection sometimes lacks context, like service personnel testing your car. I once used one voluntarily to reduce my insurance rates, but I had to start over several times because it kept tagging me for frequent speeding while cycling because the ap assigned a limit of 20 kph to bike lanes, when the actual limit is 50 kph for bike lanes adjacent to regular roads. I guess I'm lucky they didn't tag me for driving on a bike path. Once I left my phone at home while cycling, I had no difficulty achieving 100% score for 3 months to qualify for 25% savings, well worth it to me. But the ap comments suggested that many folks were unable to drive to the goals, "To get high scores, you have to be looking ahead, anticipating traffic patterns and stop lights!" - Well, yes. (It also dinged you for texting while driving, unsurprisingly, so don't have a friend answer texts for you while you're driving if the app is active, but secret data collection probably can't differentiate.)
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