Comment by raphman
14 years ago
Companies get sold all the time. Maybe someone at OnStar realized that this is a realistic possibility in the next couple of years. Maybe OnStar wants to found a shell corporation.
I have seen such wording in a number of other TOSes so far, e.g. by Google [1]:
If Google becomes involved in a merger, acquisition, or any form of sale of some or all of its assets, we will ensure the confidentiality of any personal information involved in such transactions and provide notice before personal information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
I agree they get sold all the time, I've been hearing advertisements that I can get OnStar on my non-GM car in the SF Bay Area, so I presume they are expanding their reach.
One of the interesting techniques here is to make this change, get some heat (as they are) but then saying "Hey, its just boilerplate, we're not selling this stuff take a chill pill." And then 6 months or a year later, when everyone has forgotten the ruckus, do start selling the information, except that now since its pre-authorized by the ToS there is no 'lighthouse event' that goes up to alert the public to that fact.
A crusader would now start watching for news about OnStar partnering in six to nine months with someone who could use information about where people are, or where they go.
OnStar is a massive advantage for GM; I can't foresee them ever selling it.
Edited because my slippery thumbs hit submit early.