connected devices

Sep 30

Automakers are quietly harvesting billions of data points from your car

Modern vehicles generate exhaustive behavioral data—location, driving patterns, phone contacts, brake usage—that manufacturers collect, package, and monetize with minimal transparency or meaningful consent from drivers. The asymmetry is stark: while consumers worry about smartphone privacy, they have almost no visibility into or control over automotive data flows, and regulatory frameworks like GDPR haven't caught up to the fact that cars are now persistent tracking devices on four wheels. Legacy automakers have a structural advantage entering the data business. But consumer backlash is accelerating, and disclosure standards and user controls will eventually emerge—pressures that threaten the projected $10B+ automotive data market.

theme-consumer privacy connected devices platform dynamics

Sep 8

LG TVs Still Leak Data Even With Apple TV Connected

Source: AppleInsider News

LG televisions transmit user data regardless of whether they're connected through a privacy-focused device like Apple TV, meaning consumers can't rely on their set-top box choice to protect their viewing habits from manufacturer surveillance. LG collects data at the hardware level rather than the content layer, making their data collection independent of streaming platform privacy controls. Consumers buying premium streaming hardware for privacy are getting a false sense of protection, and LG's behavior normalizes the expectation that TV manufacturers have direct access to household activity regardless of what device controls content.