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Ford announced a “Privacy Promise” days after General Motors agreed to pay $220 million to settle a lawsuit brought by 36 states over selling customer data without consent. Ford’s new website explains its data practices and how customers can deactivate some collection and sharing, but it does not provide a single control to switch everything off.
Ford has announced a “Privacy Promise” and launched a website explaining how customers can manage vehicle data, days after General Motors agreed to a $220 million settlement with 36 states over allegations that it sold customer data without consent. Ford’s site offers instructions for deactivating different types of data collection and sharing, but it does not provide one control to turn everything off.
Ford describes the promise as “an explicit commitment to customers that their vehicle data is safe with us and they’re in control of what they share.” The automaker’s website outlines its data practices and provides guidance for managing settings across Ford webpages, its app and its vehicles. The source report does not specify when the site went live or provide further detail about the promise’s terms.
The site’s instructions are divided among the different places where Ford says data may be collected or shared. According to The Drive, customers must read and follow separate guidance rather than use a single setting to disable all data sharing. The report does not list the specific data categories or explain whether every type of collection can be disabled.
The announcement followed GM’s agreement to settle a lawsuit brought by 36 states. The settlement totals $220 million, according to The Drive, which reports that drivers will not receive payments from it. The source describes the case as involving the sale of customer data without consent; details of the allegations, the settlement’s terms and any admissions by GM are not included in the supplied report.
Drivers Face Separate Privacy Controls
Connected vehicles and automaker apps can involve data settings in several places. Ford’s guidance describes its practices and provides instructions for managing settings across its webpages, app and vehicles. The Drive reports that the site does not offer a single setting to turn all data sharing on or off, so customers may need to use separate controls.
GM’s multistate settlement has also drawn attention to automaker data practices. Ford’s announcement is a public commitment; the source material does not provide independent evidence about how Ford handles data in practice. The report does not specify what information is collected, how it is used or what changes when a setting is disabled.
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GM Settlement Preceded Ford’s Pledge
The Drive’s report, published November 2, 2026, presented Ford’s announcement as one of several auto-industry headlines. It said Ford acted days after GM agreed to settle the state lawsuit. The supplied material does not give the date the settlement was reached or describe the legal claims in detail.
Ford’s response, as described in the report, centers on a named privacy commitment and a new information website. It is distinct from a confirmed change to all data practices: the source gives no technical audit, policy comparison or account of how Ford’s handling of customer data may have changed. The reported limitation is practical: Ford explains different controls but does not consolidate them into one switch.
““An explicit commitment to customers that their vehicle data is safe with us and they’re in control of what they share.””
— Ford, describing its Privacy Promise
Promise Terms and Controls Unspecified
The source material does not spell out what Ford means by data being “safe,” identify all data categories covered by the promise, or say whether Ford has changed its collection or sharing practices. It also does not state whether the company will add a central control later, or how disabling individual options affects vehicle features and services.
For GM, the report provides the settlement amount and number of states but not the case filings, specific settlement obligations or whether GM admitted wrongdoing. The description of data being sold without consent is the source’s characterization of the dispute, not a detailed account of the legal findings. Those details cannot be established from the supplied report alone.
Owners Can Review Ford’s Guidance
Ford owners can consult the company’s website and follow its instructions for settings on Ford webpages, in the app and in their vehicles. Because the controls are not consolidated, customers may need to review each relevant section and check the settings available on their own accounts and vehicles.
The source report does not identify a deadline for further changes, a planned update to Ford’s controls or a next legal milestone in the GM case. Further details about the promise and the settlement would be needed to establish what obligations either automaker faces or whether customers can expect additional privacy tools.
Key Questions
What did Ford announce?
Ford announced a “Privacy Promise” and a website describing its data practices and offering guidance on managing collection and sharing through its webpages, app and vehicles.
Can Ford owners turn off all data sharing in one place?
Not according to The Drive’s report. It says the site does not provide one control for switching everything on or off, so customers may need to use separate instructions for different services and vehicle settings.
What was GM’s settlement?
GM agreed to pay $220 million to 36 states to settle a lawsuit described in the report as concerning the sale of customer data without consent. The report says drivers will not receive payments, and the supplied material does not include the settlement’s full terms.
Has Ford been found to misuse customer data?
The supplied report does not say that Ford has been found to misuse customer data. It reports Ford’s commitment and website, but provides no independent audit or finding about the company’s data practices.
Source: thedrive.com
