TeslaFi Privacy Policy

[ILLCOMM]

Link: TeslaFi.com Privacy Policy

As far as I can tell, TeslaFi's privacy policy doesn't mention anything about the data ingested from the vehicle and subsequently stored on TeslaFi servers. Obviously, this data is PII and highly sensitive - where you live, where you work, other places you frequent, if you violate the speed limit, et cetera.

How have folks who signed up for TeslaFi reconciled this to themselves?

This revelation has me considering building a service where the data is stored in a database each user owns and thus controls. Or do people really care less about privacy?

 

[Kcain]

I would like to know peoples preferences on how they would like their data stored for services like these or if they are fine with an established/trusted service. What guarantees would you be looking for, if any?

 

[appleguru]

Personally, I have a far bigger problem with Tesla storing my data and having access to my car than I do Teslafi (at least given Tesla’s history of demonstrable irresponsibility with such data and access; ie modifying user’s cars’ configuration (for any reason) without the owner’s knowledge or permission, using sensor data from cars to publically make claims about users involved in acceidents, etc.)

 

[ILLCOMM]

I would like to know peoples preferences on how they would like their data stored for services like these or if they are fine with an established/trusted service. What guarantees would you be looking for, if any?

As serious as this is I don't think the average person has a preference that they can clearly articulate. If, for example, we collectively really did value privacy then Facebook wouldn't exist. The willful ignorance to this is continually surprising to me. The simple fact that there are undoubtedly TeslaFi members on TMC yet not a single one has replied to this post tells the entirety of the story.

Personally, I have a far bigger problem with Tesla storing my data and having access to my car than I do Teslafi (at least given Tesla’s history of demonstrable irresponsibility with such data and access; ie modifying user’s cars’ configuration (for any reason) without the owner’s knowledge or permission, using sensor data from cars to publically make claims about users involved in acceidents, etc.)

I have opted out of all the data collection that Tesla allows you to opt out of (there is a setting in the MCU that allows this). But, I agree generally. With GPS, interior microphones (and soon interior facing cameras), and 8 exterior cameras along with an always on LTE connection Tesla has arguably the second greatest spy device on earth, second only to your mobile phone. At least we know Apple does everything in its power to locally secure and encrypt PII, including building sandboxes and fine grained controls for how apps can interact with your data. Tesla is far more of a black box which makes it very scary.

 

[appleguru]

As serious as this is I don't think the average person has a preference that they can clearly articulate. If, for example, we collectively really did value privacy then Facebook wouldn't exist. The willful ignorance to this is continually surprising to me. The simple fact that there are undoubtedly TeslaFi members on TMC yet not a single one has replied to this post tells the entirety of the story.



I have opted out of all the data collection that Tesla allows you to opt out of (there is a setting in the MCU that allows this). But, I agree generally. With GPS, interior microphones (and soon interior facing cameras), and 8 exterior cameras along with an always on LTE connection Tesla has arguably the second greatest spy device on earth, second only to your mobile phone. At least we know Apple does everything in its power to locally secure and encrypt PII, including building sandboxes and fine grained controls for how apps can interact with your data. Tesla is far more of a black box which makes it very scary.

You can opt out of more; have to manually contact them to do it though: Privacy & Legal | Tesla

RE teslafi, I use it. For me, the value of the service outweighs the potential privacy concerns. That, and so far anyways, teslafi has a very good track record for handling users’ private data. I get a lot more out teslafi than I do with Facebook (or Equifax for that matter....)

With that said, @Jdeck would do well to clarify the storage and handling of PII and other vehicle data collected on the platform.

 

[CHG-ON]

I use TeslaFi. i don't have an issue with somebody potentially knowing where I have been going or how fast I have gone. At least not until the laws change about fining people for speeding without physical proof. When that happens, I'll change my attitude. I don't do any social media due to privacy issues. The only "social" thing I do, literally, is this site.

People can easily determine where I work and live and I don't go anywhere nefarious, so i feel safe about that. If and when i decide to collude with the Commies, I'll suspend my token!

But I acknowledge and appreciate the OP's, and other's, concerns. It's valid.

 

[chillaban]

I use TeslaFi. i don't have an issue with somebody potentially knowing where I have been going or how fast I have gone. At least not until the laws change about fining people for speeding without physical proof. When that happens, I'll change my attitude. I don't do any social media due to privacy issues. The only "social" thing I do, literally, is this site.

People can easily determine where I work and live and I don't go anywhere nefarious, so i feel safe about that. If and when i decide to collude with the Commies, I'll suspend my token!

But I acknowledge and appreciate the OP's, and other's, concerns. It's valid.

I agree with you.

Honestly, since Tesla has continuous root access to my car over cellular and already is privy to this kind of information, my biggest concern is a law enforcement warrant for metadata from my car, which they can already get through Tesla. At that point, TeslaFi really doesn't pose any more of a threat to me, so I might as well put my car's data to good use for myself.

In that regard I'm glad TeslaFi is a paid model and does not have to monetize itself using my personal data.

 

[brkaus]

Exactly what @CHG-ON said is how I feel.

 

[ILLCOMM]

In that regard I'm glad TeslaFi is a paid model and does not have to monetize itself using my personal data.

That doesn't mean they aren't also monetizing it. And if they're not, TeslaFi certainly maintains the right to do so, since there doesn't appear to be any policy whatsoever governing how the data is stored or used, now or in the future.

And I disagree with the equivalence to Tesla. Sure, Tesla has similar (likely much better) access, but they also have a data policy and much stronger/material consequences if they abuse the information. I would also bet (hope!) that their security audits/reviews are more frequent and better funded than TeslaFis, thereby reducing the risk the data is compromised. With TeslaFi, everything is much more "wild west."

To be clear, I am not accusing TeslaFi or whoever are the folks behind it of doing anything nefarious or bad intentionally. The service is cool! It is just surprising to me that there's literally no data policy, and I think that's a mistake by them that needs to be corrected.

 

[VValleyEV]

Thanks for all of your comments on this subject, they were very helpful.

In the end I decided to sign up for TeslaFi. I think they are secure enough and unlikely to monetize the data, that any moves in that direction are unlikely to be kept secret, and they would risk a mass exodus of their users. Similar goes for Tesla itself, and as you have pointed out, they have an explicit data policy.

FYI This morning I had a service guy walk me through a reboot to see if it fixed something, and it was spooky that when I told him the screens were back up, he said well wait a bit longer, I can see that it is not fully rebooted. Given the proper security, this provides an enormously powerful service tool, old hat for PCs but way new for cars.