FCC sends letter to carmakers on unwanted tracking via apps, NY Times says

Last month, the New York Times released an article detailing how car apps that control and track the car’s location have been weaponized in abusive relationships, with domestic violence survivors saying car companies have been unresponsive when asked to cut off an abusers’ digital access to the cars, Kashmir Hill of The New York Times reports. Now, the Federal Communications Commission, FCC, has sent a letter to nine of the largest automakers, including General Motors (GM), Toyota (TM), Ford Motor (F), and Tesla (TSLA), asking about their connected car apps and whether they had safeguards in place to assist abuse victims. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wrote in the letters that the regulator was responsible for enforcing the Safe Connections App, a law requiring phone companies to separate a victim’s phone from a family plan when shared with an abuser. The agency also sent letters to Verizon (VZ), AT&T (T), and T-Mobile (TMUS) asking about their role in providing connectivity to cars and whether they are complying with the law.