At least eight carmakers in the U.S. have admitted they would backtrack on a voluntary privacy agreement and turn over personal customer data to government and police, prompting calls for an investigation. Automotive News reports 19 carmakers had voluntarily signed up for the Consumer Privacy Protection Principles in 2014 — standards that would require U.S government agencies (including police) to obtain a warrant or court order to access customer location data. However, eight automakers misled customers about giving driver data to police, and now U.S. lawmakers are raising questions about whether automakers can be held to account for departing from promises made about user privacy. So who is giving your information to others? Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Volkswagen, BMW, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, and Kia would turn over the data if a subpoena was produced — in violation of the standards they signed up for. More smoke and mirrors when it comes to your privacy. These car companies are following the agreement they signed: General Motors, Honda, Ford, Stellantis, and Tesla require a warrant for location data, unless it is an emergency or customer consent was provided. Tesla is also the only brand to notify its customers of legal demands. This has not only raised concerns about what other privacy promises carmakers have made that they won’t keep but has led two U.S. senators to call for the companies to be investigated by the Federal Trade Commission. “Automakers have not only kept consumers in the dark regarding their actual practices, but multiple companies misled consumers for over a decade by failing to honor the industry’s own voluntary privacy principles,” said Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) in a letter to the FTC. “Vehicle location data can be used to identify Americans who have travelled to seek an abortion in another state, attended protests, support groups for alcohol, drug, and other types of addiction, or identify those of particular faiths, as revealed through trips to places of worship.” Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Kia all defended their practices, while the Alliance for Automotive Innovation — a lobby group for the car industry — claimed government agencies only request location information when there is clear danger to an individual. “Vehicle location information is only provided to law enforcement under specific and limited circumstances, such as when the automaker is provided a warrant or court order or in situations where there is an imminent threat of serious bodily harm or death to an individual,” an AAI spokesperson told Automotive News. The calls for an investigation into the data-sharing habits of carmakers comes after General Motors ended its partnerships with two major data brokers, following accusations of sharing information on drivers without their consent. In March, the New York Times published an in-depth investigation about a Chevrolet Bolt owner who had been quoted a significantly higher insurance renewal premium, later discovering his driving data was being sold to insurance firms by data broker LexisNexis. This was followed by a second report, detailing a proposed class action lawsuit put forward by a Cadillac XT6 owner who claimed he was denied insurance by seven companies on account of his LexisNexis driving report provided to the firms without his knowledge. Both of the vehicles were equipped with OnStar, GM’s connected services brand, which gathered data used by LexisNexis. In the wake of the reports, General Motors subsequently ended its partnership with both LexisNexis and Verisk, a similar company that also sold driving data to insurance companies. According to the New York Times, an internal document circulated within General Motors showed more than 8 million vehicles were actively supplying data through OnStar’s Smart Driver program as of 2022. Here's how to find out what your car is revealing about you: See the data your car is capable of collecting with this tool. Check your connected car app, if you use one, to see if you are enrolled in one of these programs. Do an online search for “privacy request form” alongside the name of your vehicle’s manufacturer. There should be instructions on how to request information your car company has about you. Request your LexisNexis report. Request your Verisk report. Remember, you own your data, not these companies. Just because they make the software doesn’t mean they get to control what happens to your information. The problem is that you sign away your ownership when you use the systems. Keep an eye out for opt-out options and support government bills that protect your privacy.

With other strategy games, like Manor Lords and the upcoming Civilization 7, it’s all about the grand vision. But I’m a hard times kind of person. Civ wants me to save the economy and build world wonders, and I’m at a loss. But when it comes to tough decisions - sacrificing half the fuel budget so we can build a medical tent, or cutting food rations to prepare for winter - that’s where I shine. It’s a shame Frostpunk 2 is delayed. But with a dash of Cities Skylines 2 and a hit of classic Fallout, its closest, overlooked rival is now available for cheaper than ever. Continue reading If you’re sad about Frostpunk 2, its nearest rival is just $5 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best city building games, Best strategy games, Best survival games

The Terraria 1.4.5 update might not have a confirmed date yet, but I’m still clinging onto every new bit of information like a ravenous Plantera. The Terraria State of the Game for June 2024 is upon us, and that means another delicious glimpse into what awaits us in the next big Terraria update, which developer Re-Logic is intending to be its last. Whether that stays the case remains to be seen, but for now let’s take a look at what’s new. Continue reading Terraria 1.4.5 update reveals powerful new bombs and armor types MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best Terraria mods, Terraria happiness guide, Terraria bosses guide

AMD has already confirmed that its new Zen 5 CPUs will be released in July 2024, but it looks as though it’s planning to launch its supporting new motherboards later in the year. According to the latest leak, the AMD X870 motherboard release date is expected to come a couple of months after its first new Ryzen 9000 CPUs come out. With AMD going big on the latest PCIe 5.0 and USB 4 standards in its new X870 and X870E chipsets, it’s likely these new chipsets will power several of the best gaming motherboards you can buy when they come out. You won’t need one of these new motherboards to run a Ryzen 9000-series Zen 5 CPU, though, as they’ll also happily slot into any existing Socket AM5 motherboard, as long as you flash the BIOS first. Continue reading AMD’s new motherboards will release months after Zen 5 CPUs, says leak MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review

Esteban, York and James Beckwourth charted the American frontier between the 16th and 19th centuries

We Need to Take a Closer Look at Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and His Presidential Fitness

Jill Biden Treats Joe Like a Child in Sad and Infuriating Remarks After Debate

Ukraine has spent years trying to build a Western-style democracy, although not without some bumps along the way as it shed habits from its Soviet past.

A ship traveling through the Red Sea came under repeated missile fire Friday in a likely attack launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels, authorities said, the latest targeting the crucial maritime route.

Donald Trump made it appear obvious to America: President Joe Biden cannot stand next to him on a debate stage without a "disaster," Democrats and leftist media sources were forced to admit Thursday night after the earliest debate in presidential history.