FTC bars GM and OnStar from selling driver location data

In January 2026, the Federal Trade Commission finalized a consent order with General Motors and OnStar over the collection and sale of drivers' precise location and behavior data. The FTC said GM used a misleading sign-up flow that enrolled people in data collection without clearly disclosing what was gathered or that it was sold to third parties. The order bars GM for five years from sharing geolocation and driving data with consumer reporting agencies, and requires affirmative consent before collecting or sharing connected-vehicle data for the next twenty years. There is no monetary penalty; the order is injunctive.