Current Events > Tesla Violates Customer Privacy by Sharing Pics Taken by Car Camera

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/04/06/tesla-employees-reportedly-shared-sensitive-photos-of-owners-taken-by-car-cameras/

Former Tesla employees say intimate photos and videos of owners taken by the electric vehicles built-in cameras were widely shared among workers despite the companys privacy protections, Reuters reported Thursday, claims that add to mounting controversy over Teslas various high-tech features.

Between 2019 and 2022, recordings of Tesla owners were privately shared via the companys internal messaging system, catching customers naked, showing their kids and sometimes revealing their locations, nine ex-employees told Reuters.

Some of the images were reportedly turned into memes featuring customers dogs and funny road signs, while others depicted car crashes and road-rage incidents, including one video of a Tesla crashing into a child riding a bikebut many were distributed to scores of employees.

Teslas cameras are intended to record driving incidents, as well as power the autopilot and autopark features by recognizing street signs, traffic lights and other roadside obstacles.

The company also employs hundreds of workers to label photos taken by Teslas to help the cars systems recognize common obstacles, in turn giving employees access to these recordings.

The cameras, known as Dashcams, are mounted in the car to record footage of a vehicles surroundings only when its powered on, according to the companys websitebut one former employee told Reuters some recordings appeared to be taken when the car was parked and turned off.

In its privacy policy, Tesla assures customers it does not associate the vehicle data generated by driving with the drivers identities, and does not share location or customers activities with anyone. Tesla owners can consent for data sharing, which allows camera recordings to be shared with the company. Even if customers consent, recordings are supposed to remain anonymous and not be linked to the individual, however.

They bought a Tesla
Decided to bone in it

What did they expect.

This is like that nude thing that happened. Is it right? No. Could it happen? Duh.

Literally rules of the internet and data. Nothing stays private.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/9/8/1/AAPw6aAAD4h9.jpg

I'm more surprised that this info came out than that it happened. Nothing will be done about it though, consumer protections in America are better at protecting the companies than actual customers.

glad I didn't buy a car that's constantly spying on me ( O_o)

I can't be the only who read that as Tesla Violet

This is quite disturbing, I think. Nobody would really expect their car to be doing this, would they?

KaZooo posted...

They bought a Tesla
Decided to bone in it

What did they expect.

This is like that nude thing that happened. Is it right? No. Could it happen? Duh.

Literally rules of the internet and data. Nothing stays private.

I think most people assume that Tesla aren't actively looking at their private cars private recordings without cause. What a weird fucking attempt to victim blame.

Error1355 posted...

I think most people assume that Tesla aren't actively looking at their private cars private recordings without cause. What a weird fucking attempt to victim blame.

Sounds like some of them were looked at, or could have been at least initially, with cause, but got shared among other employees.

Doubt every employee had free reign to look at the cameras. However if you have a handful of people who do have access and are willing to share, then things can spiral out of control fast

Wait till you hear about the Patriot Act, TC.

Error1355 posted...

I think most people assume that Tesla aren't actively looking at their private cars private recordings without cause. What a weird fucking attempt to victim blame.

That's not victim blaming, that's just pointing out reality. Yeah Tesla is the subject of wrongdoing, but the end user can't be entirely oblivious to the fact they are risking that exposure.

We can assume a lot of people/entities to do/not to do certain things, but they won't follow through correctly anyway.

Every car insurance company and other cars are doing the same thing. It's why I have a sleek privacy tab over my laptop and my car's internal cam.

Its almost like Teslas a shitty company

KaZooo posted...

That's not victim blaming, that's just pointing out reality. Yeah Tesla is the subject of wrongdoing, but the end user can't be entirely oblivious to the fact they are risking that exposure.

We can assume a lot of people/entities to do/not to do certain things, but they won't follow through correctly anyway.

So you should always assume that a company is going to violate the privacy agreements they make?

Ruvan22 posted...

So you should always assume that a company is going to violate the privacy agreements they make?

Yeah, unless they got security classifications. Just gonna have a bunch of normies tickling your privacy otherwise

But you should sue the tar out of them if you get tickled

Agonized_rufous posted...

Yeah, unless they got security classifications. Just gonna have a bunch of normies tickling your privacy otherwise

But you should sue the tar out of them if you get tickled

Not sure if you mean customers should have security classifications/training?