OnStar comes through big time

[MasterShakes]

Some good friends of mine went to the Browns game yesterday. One of my friends, who just bought a new car, had his car flat out stolen from the lot he parked it in in downtown Cleveland.

After the police didn't show after a phone call and a 45-minute wait at the lot, they walked to the police station and filed a report. The cops acted totally flippant about it, and said that this happens during Browns games all the time.

The car has OnStar, but he was never a subscriber. Despite this, OnStar agreed to locate the car, and he now has it back. To return the favor, he decided to subscribe to their service for at least a year.

I don't know everything that OnStar is capable of doing, but that they could do this was pretty impressive.

A+

[DeathbySuckout]

I was listening to a radio program the other day, and a guy called in that worked for OnStar. He said thay can open up the mic in any car equipped with it, and they do it all the time just to listen in. He said they've heard guys picking up hookers, and listened while she worked. They have also listened to couples arguing, while laughing their asses off.

I don't like OnStar.

[astroglide]

while abuses like this are common, this guy could have totally been lying and you could be perpetuating the myth. most devices with clearly misusable privacy things like that will usually have some sort of immutable notification that somebody is listening, like a loud beep or something.

to the OP, cool. he agreed to the service to be cool right, not as some sort of payment?

[MasterShakes]

[ QUOTE ]
he agreed to the service to be cool right, not as some sort of payment?

[/ QUOTE ]

Right. It was totally voluntary.

The radio story seems totally unverifiable.

[tek]

[ QUOTE ]
I was listening to a radio program the other day, and a guy called in that worked for OnStar. He said thay can open up the mic in any car equipped with it, and they do it all the time just to listen in.

[/ QUOTE ]

From their website (http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/privacy_policy.jsp)

Q: If I'm not talking with an OnStar Advisor, or an Advisor and a third party conferenced in at my request, does OnStar monitor conversations in my car?

A: It is not possible for OnStar advisors to monitor car occupant conversations without notice to the occupants. When a voice connection is established with your car, a light flashes, there is a ring, and the radio mutes. Even if requested, it is not possible for OnStar to override this functionality. In addition, a voice connection is normally audible through the stereo speakers, and cars programmed with text display capabilities can see an indicator of a connection to OnStar on the driver's instrument panel. Moreover, OnStar's policy requires Advisors to announce their presence immediately upon establishing a voice connection.

[jacki]

[ QUOTE ]
most devices with clearly misusable privacy things like that will usually have some sort of immutable notification that somebody is listening, like a loud beep or something.

[/ QUOTE ]

My dad and brother worked for the phone company, usually in switching stations. I was visiting my brother once, and he showed me how easy it would be to listen in to any phone line you wanted, without anybody knowing. We didn't do it, but it would be totally unnoticed and untraceable.