How private is your life? Recently, an ex-Tesla employee reported on the company’s data collection policy and the lack of privacy that Tesla owners experience.
In today’s world, we can’t assume privacy, even inside our own homes. If you have devices that can record video inside your house, that video is likely being uploaded to the company supporting it and can be used as fodder for office humor. Even our smartphones can be recording us when we don’t expect them to, but it’s possible some Tesla employees took things too far.
Added cameras and videos aren’t anything new
If you think you’re not being recorded in public, you’re fooling yourself. The only way to not be on video is to live in a remote area of the country without any electronic devices. Even then, satellites will pick up the movement and activity on your property. Once you accept this, you understand that you can’t expect any privacy when you leave your home. Once you step outside the door, you’ve got cameras and tracking devices watching you. Most of us understand this and go about our days, anyway, not expecting juvenile actions by the companies gathering data.
Sentry Mode in Tesla vehicles records videos
Modern vehicles have several cameras on them to record activities. These videos should only be used for improving the technology in that vehicle or reporting illegal activity taking place around the car. These videos should not be used by any company as a means of humor or sharing amongst employees at that company. Recently, an ex-Tesla employee, who chose not to be named, reported that many employees at Tesla privately share photos and videos taken by cars. This might sound innocent enough but think about what you do in and around your car.
Some incidents are expected in these cars
The videos caught on camera by the Sentry Mode would probably shock most people. One video involves a naked man going to his car, but some include incidents of road rage and a child getting hit by a bike. These images and videos should only be used as tools for improving the Tesla vehicle safety technology, but it seems the employees at this company have found a juvenile way of amusing themselves with these videos and images. These videos are being shared at the company and spreading around like wildfire. This couldn’t come at a worse time for Tesla.
Tesla is already under fire for its data policy
The ex-Tesla employee shedding light on how some of these videos are being used only adds fuel to the fire being set by some European countries. These countries are scrutinizing Tesla for its data collection methods. The German consumer group vzbv is already filing a lawsuit against the company regarding the fact that it doesn’t disclose to passersby that they could be recorded by these cars. That said, it seems pretty easy to assume that every time we step out of the house, and sometimes while in our homes, we’re being recorded.
Is Tesla using any of the videos for legitimate purposes
Some videos are being used for the designed purpose. This means labeling street signs and pedestrians in the system to improve the self-driving systems. Of course, other videos aren’t being used this way and have become nothing more than office fodder. These videos could be an invasion of privacy, although we really don’t have a reason to feel that being out in public offers any sense of privacy any longer. Think about some of the things you do in and around your car, and you’ll probably change a few of those things going forward.
Why so irresponsible and immature?
It’s a wonder why Tesla employees would be so irresponsible and immature with the data collected, especially with lawsuits looming over the company’s proverbial head. The unnamed ex-Tesla employee has said that some of the people promoting and sharing the videos or creating funny memes from the video images are in managerial positions at the company. This immature sharing needs to end at Tesla; this information should only be for the purpose of improving technology, not for the immature fodder of Tesla employees.
What does this mean for Tesla? It could mean the company might end up under investigation by the federal government. Even in public, there is a sense of privacy we all want to enjoy, but we’re truly fooling ourselves if we think we’re actually in private and not being recorded at all times.
https://youtu.be/TF1qdUcLCCM
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