this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2024
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Privacy

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I wanted to get others' takes but it seems like the only real way to get a non-spying car is to get an older car without any sort of telemetrics. I saw a video about different car companies' security policies, well specifically the new Mental Outlaw video, and it just blew me away how even our cars aren't safe. Anyone got tips for how to anonymize their car?

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (3 children)

Let me try this comment again.

There is no driving with privacy or anonymity unless you’re on private land.

Anyone got tips for how to anonymize their car?

Remove the license plate. You will rarely have privacy driving a car on a public road. You should disable the modem, of course, but you’re still not going to be driving anonymously or privately. Automated license plate readers means your travels are going into databases that very well could be breached at some point in time.

Law enforcement use of ALPRs is rapidly expanding, with tens of thousands of readers in use throughout the United States; one survey indicates that in 2016 and 2017 alone, 173 law enforcement agencies collectively scanned 2.5 billion license plates.

According to the latest available numbers from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, 93 percent of police departments in cities with populations of 1 million or more use their own ALPR systems, some of which can scan nearly 2,000 license plates per minute. In cities with populations of 100,000 or more, 75 percent of police departments use ALPR systems.

Despite this expansive data collection effort, many departments have not developed a policy to govern the use of ALPR technology, or provided privacy protections.

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/automatic-license-plate-readers-legal-status-and-policy-recommendations

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Adding to this, automatic plate flippers exist and are pretty popular for show cars to display something else when parked. Typically wired to ignition so it shows your plate only when the cars running.

Issue is if you street park dependent on the state, if the vehicle registration is hidden by the plate being flipped they can likely tow it. Would work great for at work/in your driveway though. Could maybe just have a bypass switch for if you need to park somewhere and display the plate.

Still a pain in the ass that it's this bad though.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

Theyre also recording the make model car type car size etc so you're still not immune from fingerprinting

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The fact that your data is exposed to someone doesn't mean that you have to give up and just let everyone else have it as well.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

That’s not the point I’m making. You should disable your cars modem if it has one, but you still should have no expectation of privacy. Thinking you can have anonymity with a license plate displayed to everyone is foolish. It’s like asking how to be anonymous while wearing a name tag and the same clothes every day.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Yea, that part is true.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

I don't entirely agree with this: I know there are no ANPR cameras within my town for example. There's a speed camera that only takes photos if you're speeding, but ANPR cameras are limited to motorways and trunk roads, I can move around my town and the surrounding ones without clocking ANPR. Of course I'm still on regular CCTV and cell towers triangulate my phone, but that requires authorities actively looking into me which I doubt they are.

I tend to use an eBike where possible but again the phone triangulates if I have it on me, and it wouldn't be too hard to follow on cctv if you really wanted to. Everyone and their mother has a doorbell camera now

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

DIY ?


Now just hope the batteries don't have a radio.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

I have a 06 jeep wrangler, used to do 20 mpg but gets more around 15-17 now, which I plan on making some efficiency improvements. But its a pretty reliable engine and I live in a rural area so having an all terrain vehicle gives me some piece of mind.

If your planning on getting an older vehicle, do some preventative maintenance such as a new battery, make sure amps are equal or greater. Change the oil if it hasn't been done. Get new belts. Get new spark plugs. Get a decent set of tires. Use fuel system cleaner.

If you plan on getting a newer vehicle you could probably pull a fuse to disable it from transmitting, but I don't know if it would actually work.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

I am a private person. Not because I have something to hide, I just don't like the idea that my data is being sold which exposes me to various scams. I got to the point where some of my online purchases are marked as fraud due to measures I took - vpn, email alias, delivery to a parcel locker, spoofed phone number, one time cc. But with cars I cannot help myself. I truly enjoy all the "smart" features. Collision detection, ability to press SOS button when I need help, ability to remotely start/stop/lock/unlock/turn on/off ac/etc. I know how privacy invasive those things are but in this case I've chosen convince over privacy.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Old and serviceable. Don't give me plastic

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Take a look at motorcycles. They tend to be far behind the curve technology wise, and only Zerocycles have a telemetry system afaik.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

they're also dirty as fuck.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Also ford recently redesigned their app so the users have to use built in google maps in order to track their car.

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