California reaches settlement with GM on data privacy, sharing violations
California reaches settlement with GM on data privacy, sharing violations
Publish Date: 2026-05-28 06:00:00
Source Domain: www.repairerdrivennews.com
California regulators and the state’s Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy) have reached a settlement agreement with General Motors regarding the illegal sale of Californians’ location and driving data to two data brokers.
A press release from the agency states that the sale violated the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California’s Unfair Competition Law.
In 2023, CalPrivacy announced investigations into the privacy practices of connected vehicles and began engaging with GM and other car manufacturers.
In 2024, while those investigations were underway, the New York Times reported that automakers, including GM, were sharing consumers’ driving behavior with insurance companies.
The reporting noted that some insurers had raised consumers’ rates based on this data.
Shortly after, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) partnered with the District Attorneys of Los Angeles, Napa, San Francisco, and Sonoma, with support from CalPrivacy’s Enforcement Division, to investigate reports like these and to determine whether any data was used to increase Californians’ insurance rates.
The settlement, which is subject to court approval, includes $12.75 million in civil penalties and injunctive terms, including restrictions on its use of consumer driving data and a ban on selling such data to data brokers.
“General Motors sold the data of California drivers without their knowledge or consent and despite numerous statements reassuring drivers that it would not do so,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta in the release. “This trove of information included precise and personal location data that could identify the everyday habits and movements of Californians.”
He added that the settlement underscores the importance of data minimization in California’s privacy law.
“Companies can’t just hold on to data and use it later for another purpose,” Bonta said. “I am proud to go to bat for the privacy rights of Californians and to…
