basilkies

Look ONSTAR is more than a helpful system for directions and road service. There have been actual cases of people being tapped by the FBI through ONSTAR and listened in on. When this is done radio goes on and off and acts funny if you have it on.
The GPS system in the ONSTAR can track you travels and position and I would bet it also has a broadcasted ID so your rig can be identified through dealer records or even the ONSTAR company that you have service from. So, they can know who you are, where you go, when you go there and listen in to your conversation along the way. Maybe you drive too close to a Muslim hangout and stop for a minute. Next thing you know your on a airline list to be denied travel. ONSTAR it charges you to help you but spies on you for free.

Todd Sandberg

So who is Big Brother? I know, the easy answer is government. But think about it....who is listening to your conversations? How many thousands of people would they have to employ to listen in on your conversations about what you want to have for dinner or what ballgame you watched? then what about the other people they'd have to hire to analyze that data. Then all the people that need to act on that information. Then all the people to maintain that information. I just don't see it happening. Do they have people that do all that? Sure. They focus on people of Al Qaeda and the like....not someone named Todd from Minnesota as I **** and moan about how my Minnesota Twins are going to once again stink like an old gym sock this year.

I don't care if they listen to what i have to say...they'll be equally as bored with my conversations as my wife is. I have nothing to hide, and therefor nothing to fear. In the end, if it's allowing them to prevent terrorist attacks or other major criminal issues this country faces (gangs, cartels, illegal gun trafficing, etc...) then I say go for it. Freedom isn't free, as the saying goes. Now, if they start suggesting it's illegal to talk shop about local sports teams, THEN I'm in trouble.

They can't give you a traffic ticket for speeding as they cannot prove who is driving it. At least not in MN they can't. We had red light cameras in Minneapolis for a short period and all of the tickets that were issued were refunded as they had no proof that the vehicle's owners were actually driving the vehicle, so they couldn't issue a ticket to those people. They also removed them as it was ruled unconstitutional. No proof other than that vehicle was used to commit the crime. Would the same apply here? Likely so as I see it.

some people like to think they can not be monitored. But as suggested, they are on the internet. They have phones. they have electricity in their homes. They pay taxes. There are satellites in the sky that can count the freckles on your nose. You can think what you want, but was much as you run you can't hide if they want to find you. Look at Bin Laden. He ran for a while, and he had a major network of people trying to keep him secret in a far away land in many different countries. In the end though, they got him. Where are you going to go, and what kind of following do you have to keep you "off the grid" or out of BB's sight? Not hardly enough.

I also look at it this way. Those that have something to hide act as though they have something to hide. That draws the attention of the people that are looking for people that have something to hide (criminals, terrorists, etc...). So even if you are as clean as the driven snow, if you act in the same manner as someone you end up hearing about on the news, then you (in my opinion) are just asking for more attention. Damned if you do, damned if you don't I suppose.

I'm not suggesting people don't have the right to feel how they do. It's their opinion, and they are entitled to think that. Just my opinion. not saying I'm right....just my thoughts.

Lifted07

Got to agree with some points I guess. The main point being everyone has an oppinion.
One thing I would like to know is how many people would purchased onstar if they had a choice? Maybe we could have upgraded something we would actually use like Bluetooth for a phone we can use anywhere in car or out, Drop the payment a little or fill your rig a few more times. But then again we werent given a choice in purchasing something that ISNT a safety device were we??

basilkies

Todd just because I have nothing to hide doesn't mean I want the government to know everything I do. Hitler started with gun control, I think that if you want to give away your privacy or your life you are inviting problems later on that you could well not anticipate, so you lead your happy go lucky life, and someone will be listening to your bitching later when you find out how little privacy you have and encounter unanticipated problems. Remember even in the USA we have secret services and budgets that won't tell us what we are spending our money on, so it's not really a democracy is it? It is a republic which means that the majority does not necessarily rule.

Todd Sandberg

I'm not suggesting that you need to have your life an open book if you don't want. Sorry if I came off that way. The fact you are on the net right now tells Big Brother more than you likely know....IF they wanted to. The Hitler analogy isn't relevant from my perspective. It would if we were in an era where information wasn't abundant, but the fact is it's freeflowing these days. It's easy to "snow" people when they don't have information readily available at their fingertips. Think about this...a 5 year old right now has more information available to them and can find it easier than a 50 year old back in Hitler's era. That's not an exaggeration. That said, you can't compare the two in my opinion.

I hear phrases like "encounter unanticipated problems", "watching over your shoulder", and other such statements about Big Brother. Yet, I have yet to hear of a single incident from one person about how they were doing something legal and a government agency swarmed in and swooped them up without just cause. I also don't hear any comments about how this same technology helped prevent terrorist attacks over the last 10 years. Or how it was used to snuff out the likes of Bin Laden.

Look at it this way. How rampant is identity theft these days? Now, compare that to how many people take precautions to avoid it. So, what you have is some rube in Russia writing a virus to get the information you are actively trying to protect with funky passwords, encrypted hard drives, etc... and yet it still happens all the time. Heck, let's kick it up a notch and talk about the hackers that get into hospital databases and other such "very secure" databases to get your information. Who do you think the government hires, some kid from Florida State to help them get the information they want to gather? So now it's you against someone of that caliber. you lose 10 out of 10 times, as they also have technology you haven't even dreamed of yet at their disposal. This isn't "Leave it to Beaver" of a world we live in. It's nasty and getting nastier. If them listening in on my pizza order helps prevent a nuke or dirty bomb being set off somewhere, then go ahead and listen in. I'll order extra pepperoni.

As for buying Onstar (vs having it preinstalled) they just started selling that at Best Buy recently. It would be interesting to see what the sales are from those.

Personally, I just bought my truck and have no plans on renewing my Onstar once the initial trial period expires.

And, for what it's worth, I would like to reiterate that while I wouldn't live my life like you want to, I'm more than 100% cool with you living it that way. It's your choice just as much as my life is mine. in fact, I would help you remove that Onstar system on your vehicle if I could. There's no bad feelings or anything here...simply a guy sharing his opinion, nothing more.

Lifted07

Yes it is getting nastier and we have no idea how much we are being watched. Myself when I can control any part of whats going on with my life Ill do it. Maybe Onstar is no big deal, But its a start and it proves a point. If you let it be forced on you and you say nothing, Whats next? When I buy a new Wallet and put a lot of my life in it I'm sure as hell not going to let someone else carry it for me even if they do say they wont look in it or maybe use a little of whats in it. I dont want Onstar like a lot of people and we should have a say in it. I guess onstar doesnt think so.

youmeill

I hear phrases like "encounter unanticipated problems", "watching over your shoulder", and other such statements about Big Brother. Yet, I have yet to hear of a single incident from one person about how they were doing something legal and a government agency swarmed in and swooped them up without just cause. I also don't hear any comments about how this same technology helped prevent terrorist attacks over the last 10 years. Or how it was used to snuff out the likes of Bin Laden.