GM banned from sharing driving data as Flock camera backlash grows

FTC bars GM and OnStar from sharing driving data with insurers

General Motors collected detailed driving data through its OnStar platform and sold it to insurance companies, which used it to raise premiums. Records included braking and acceleration, daily habits and geolocation, covering Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles from model year 2016 onward. In one case a Michigan family learned a salesperson had enrolled their new 2023 Chevy Bolt EUV in a free OnStar subscription without disclosing the data collection. Roughly 30 class action suits were consolidated into a 627-page lawsuit against GM. The FTC banned GM and OnStar from sharing geolocation and driving habits with other agencies for up to five years, and for 20 years the company must obtain consent before collecting and sharing vehicle data. GM must also delete previously collected data.

Millions Of Drivers Had Their Speeding And Late-Night Trips Logged By Their Own Cars →

Topics: Location trackingSmart devices privacy

Flock Safety faces cancellations and scrutiny over license plate cameras

Communities nationwide are pushing back on Flock Safety and its license plate reading cameras, with a wave of contract cancellations over privacy and data security concerns. A WBUR investigation found that $500,000 in Massachusetts grant money meant to offset casino impacts was used over three years to buy Flock cameras and other automated readers; critics say the devices log every passing driver into a database potentially searchable without a warrant. A city report found Flock failed to secure Boston vehicle data during a 2025 pilot, distributing data it promised not to share. A KCUR analysis found out-of-state police made thousands of searches of Kansas City area readers, with Kansas City, Kansas, data searched 1 million times in six months.

What the Flock? Stories to understand the national controversy around the AI cameras →

Topics: Flock SafetyLicense plate readers (ALPR)

Meta expands AI age estimation to Instagram, Facebook and Threads worldwide

Meta announced it will roll out its age-estimation technology globally, placing millions more teens worldwide into Teen Accounts settings on Instagram. Age estimation will reach all Facebook and Threads accounts later this year. Since April 2025 Meta has used AI to detect teens on Instagram even when they registered with an adult age, proactively moving them into its safest settings. This month, U.S. parents will see a video in their Instagram feed explaining how teens are placed in age-appropriate protections. Meta urged TikTok and YouTube to adopt the same practices, arguing teens remain inconsistently protected unless other companies follow suit. Child safety groups gave the proposed fixes general approval despite continued criticism of Teen Accounts.

Meta announces global roll out of its age estimation system →

Topics: MetaAge verificationChildren's online safety

Google warns Australian duty of care bill could block teens from Gmail

Google has warned that a proposed Australian online safety law could force it to block under-18s from Gmail. Rachel Lord, who heads policy in Australia and New Zealand for YouTube, raised the concern at a Senate hearing on Monday. The Digital Duty of Care bill would require online companies to show they are removing harmful content, with fines up to A$109 million ($75 million). Communications Minister Anika Wells introduced it on 15 October; it passed the House of Representatives in late October and now needs cross-party Senate support, with a committee due to report by 20 November. Lord said a section requiring age checks where children risk seeing pornography could force age assurance on messaging, email and private file storage. Meta, TikTok and Snap raised similar concerns.

Google warns Australian safety bill could block teens from Gmail →

Topics: GoogleChildren's online safetyAge verification

Nigeria’s data protection law faces implementation test as AI services spread

Nigeria’s Data Protection Act 2023 established the Nigeria Data Protection Commission and a framework for lawful, fair and accountable processing of personal data, but effective protection also depends on implementation, public awareness and regulators’ ability to hold organizations accountable. As Nigerians adopt AI-powered services, users need to understand their rights and organizations must explain their practices. UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence stresses privacy, transparency, accountability and fairness across the AI lifecycle. A September 2024 FTC investigation into nine major social media and video-streaming companies, including Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Twitch, found extensive collection of data on users and sometimes non-users, raising concerns about retention and automated systems.

Big Tech, AI, and the quiet expansion of digital surveillance in Nigeria →

Topics: GDPR