You Can Be Tracked Through Your Tires | Official Preview

Shawn Ryan Show

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Video Summary

In the United States, a nation that has existed for over 30 years without comprehensive privacy laws, data brokers are amassing vast amounts of personal information. This commercially available data, collected from sources like license plate readers and even tire pressure monitoring systems, is being used by entities including the Pentagon to potentially target U.S. soldiers. Investigative reporter Byron Tao highlights how this dispersed data, though not held in a single repository, can be accessed and exploited, even by foreign adversaries.

Tao also points to the auto industry's burgeoning subscription model, where features like heated seats are locked behind monthly fees, representing a form of "double dipping." This trend, coupled with the broader issue of companies selling collected data to the government, raises questions about whether consumers will ever be compensated for their privacy.

Short Highlights

The U.S. lacks comprehensive privacy laws, unlike other industrial democracies.
Commercially available data is used for surveillance, even by the Pentagon.
Auto companies are implementing subscription models for features already built into vehicles.
Data brokers collect location information globally through various technologies.
Data is dispersed, making it difficult to track but accessible to various entities.

Key Details

The U.S. Privacy Gap [00:00:00]

The U.S. is the last major industrial democracy without comprehensive privacy laws.
This lack of regulation allows for extensive surveillance and data collection.

"You know, the internet's 30-some years old at this point, and, you know, we're the last remaining major industrial democracy that does not have a comprehensive privacy law."

Pentagon's Use of Data Brokers [00:00:00]

Senator Ron Wyden's office inquired about the Pentagon using commercially available data.
The Pentagon confirmed receiving credible intelligence that Iranians used data broker information to target U.S. soldiers.

"Are there any reports that Iranians had targeted American soldiers?"

Data Collection and Dispersal [00:00:00]

Data is not held in one central repository but is spread out and dispersed.
Companies like Vigilant, ReCore, Genoptic, and Axon use license plate readers to collect location data globally.

"And they're collecting your location as you move around the world."

Auto Industry's Subscription Model [00:00:00]

Automakers are now charging monthly fees for features like heated seats, even if already built into the car.
This practice is seen as "double dipping" and a way to increase profits by charging consumers for existing functionality.

"You know, they'll sell you a car that's very, very expensive, and then they'll say, yeah, pay us 15 bucks a month if you want to turn the heated seats on."