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Plain-English summary
The Ford Motor Company US Privacy Notice outlines several practices that could impact users. Ford may use vehicle location data for repossession purposes, even if location settings are disabled (risk_flags-1), and this location data can be shared with Ford Credit for the same reason (risk_flags-2). Personal information may also be disclosed during corporate transactions (risk_flags-3). Vehicle data, including VIN, can be linked to individuals (data_use-1), and third-party digital technologies are used to track online activity across different websites, which is then used for interest-based advertising (data_use-3). Data from various sources is combined to personalize user experiences. Ford explicitly states it is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party sites accessed via its products, and dealers operate as separate legal entities with their own privacy practices, for which Ford is not responsible (gotchas-2).
90% confidence
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Risk Flags
3 findings
Critical issues that give us pause. These are red-flag terms that may be harmful to users.
high95% confidence
Vehicle location data may be used for repossession.
Ford may collect vehicle location data, regardless of location settings, to protect and defend its rights or property, including repossessing a vehicle in the event of a delinquency.
Why it matters: Your vehicle's location can be tracked and used for repossession if you default on your agreement, even if you have disabled location settings.
In limited situations, we may collect Vehicle Location , regardless of location settings. We do this to protect and defend our rights or property (including repossessing a vehicle in the event of a delinquency) or to comply with applicable law, to respond to valid legal process (including from law enforcement or other government agencies), or, in the event of exigent circumstances, to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury or help protect the personal safety of Ford personnel, users of our vehicles, websites, or apps, our visitors, or the public.
Vehicle location may be disclosed to Ford Credit for repossession.
If you are financing your purchase or lease with Ford Credit and Ford Credit asks Ford to locate your vehicle due to default of your agreement, Ford may disclose Vehicle Location to Ford Credit.
Why it matters: If you finance your vehicle through Ford Credit and default on your agreement, your vehicle's location may be shared with Ford Credit, which could lead to repossession.
For example, if you are financing your purchase or lease with Ford Credit and Ford Credit asks us to locate your vehicle due to default of your agreement with Ford Credit, we may disclose Vehicle Location to Ford Credit.
OUR DISCLOSURES OF PERSONAL INFORMATION, paragraph 2 · Citation strength: strong
medium90% confidence
Personal information may be disclosed as part of corporate transactions.
Ford may disclose personal information as part of a corporate transaction or proceeding such as a merger, financing, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, or a transfer, divestiture, or sale of all or a portion of its business or assets.
Why it matters: Your personal information could be transferred to a new entity if Ford undergoes a merger, acquisition, or other corporate transaction.
We may also disclose personal information as part of a corporate transaction or proceeding such as a merger, financing, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, or at transfer, divestiture, or sale of all or a portion of our business or assets.
OUR DISCLOSURES OF PERSONAL INFORMATION, paragraph 6 · Citation strength: strong
Data Use
2 findings
How the company collects, uses, and shares your personal information.
medium90% confidence
Vehicle data, including VIN, can be linked to you.
Ford and Lincoln vehicles record data about how the vehicle is performing, how it is driven, where it is located, and its environment. This data may be associated with a vehicle's unique identification number ('VIN') or other identifiers, and these identifiers may be linked to you.
Why it matters: Data generated by your vehicle, including driving habits and location, can be traced back to you through your vehicle's VIN or other identifiers.
Ford and Lincoln vehicles have systems that record data about how the vehicle is performing, how it is driven, where it is located, and the environment where it is operated. This data may be associated with a vehicle's unique identification number (“VIN”) or other identifiers, and the VIN or other identifiers may be linked to you.
Information From Your Vehicle, paragraph 1 · Citation strength: strong
medium85% confidence
Online activity is used for interest-based advertising.
Third-party advertising partners use cookies, web beacons, and other digital technologies to collect information regarding your activities on web pages, which they may combine with information collected over time and across other websites, apps, or digital services for delivering targeted advertisements.
Why it matters: Your online activities on Ford's websites and other digital services are used by third-party advertisers to deliver personalized ads to you, based on your inferred interests.
These companies may use this information (and combine it with information collected over time and across other websites, apps, or other digital services) for purposes of delivering targeted advertisements to you, to provide measurement services when you use Ford Products, and when you interact with other (non-Ford) websites and online services. This practice is commonly referred to as "interest-based advertising" or “online behavioral advertising”.
COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES, paragraph 15 · Citation strength: strong
Cancellation & Renewal
All clear
Terms related to account cancellation, subscription renewal, and data retention after cancellation.
✓
Looking good
No billing surprises spotted
Verbaterm only flags concerns it can cite. No cancellation, auto-renewal, or refund terms needed attention here.
Gotchas
1 finding
Unexpected or subtle clauses that may be detrimental to users.
medium85% confidence
Dealers are separate entities and have their own privacy practices.
Dealers are separate legal entities from Ford and have their own privacy practices. Ford is not responsible for dealers’ compliance with law, even though they encourage them to satisfy their legal obligations.
Why it matters: Your data shared with a Ford dealer is subject to their privacy practices, which may differ from Ford's, and Ford is not accountable for the dealer's compliance with privacy laws.
Please be aware, however, that dealers are separate legal entities from Ford and have their own privacy practices. You should contact your dealer directly if you have questions about their privacy practices. Although we encourage dealers to fully satisfy their legal obligations (including those relating to privacy), Ford is not responsible for dealers’ compliance with law.
What This Privacy Notice Does Not Cover, paragraph 6 · Citation strength: strong
Protections
2 findings
Terms that are beneficial to the user.
Protection90% confidence
Users can access, edit, or delete some personal information.
You can access, edit, or delete some of the personal information Ford has collected by logging into your account and accessing the information displayed in your profile or account settings.
Why it helps: This allows you to review and manage some of your personal data directly, providing a degree of control over the accuracy and presence of your information.
You can access, edit, or delete some of the personal information we have collected by logging into your account and accessing the information displayed in your profile or account settings.
CHOICE AND CONTROL OF PERSONAL INFORMATION, paragraph 2 · Citation strength: strong
Protection90% confidence
Users can opt-out of promotional communications.
You can choose whether to receive promotional communications from Ford by email, physical mail, and telephone by contacting their Customer Relationship Center or by following opt-out instructions in messages.
Why it helps: This gives you control over the types of marketing communications you receive, allowing you to reduce unwanted solicitations.
You can choose whether to receive promotional communications from us by email, physical mail, and telephone by contacting our Customer Relationship Center (see the How to Contact Us section below). As noted above, you can access and change your email communications preferences by logging into your owner account profile on the Ford website . If you receive promotional email messages from us and would like to stop receiving messages about the promotion, you can do so by following the directions in that message.
CHOICE AND CONTROL OF PERSONAL INFORMATION, paragraph 6 · Citation strength: strong
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