FTC Imposes Five‑Year Ban on GM Data Sales

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a five‑year prohibition on General Motors’ sale of customer data to consumer‑reporting agencies and third‑party data brokers. The order follows years of GM collecting detailed driving information—such as frequency of speeding and nighttime driving patterns—and distributing that data to external firms. The penalty marks the first time the FTC has barred a major automaker from monetizing vehicle‑derived data. GM must now halt all data‑selling activities, re‑evaluate its data‑handling practices, and ensure compliance with the new restriction. The ruling signals a tightening of regulatory scrutiny over automotive data privacy and may prompt other manufacturers to reassess how they share vehicle data with third parties.