Technology

Is it worth saving money to let a car insurance company track your every move?

Published

3 hours ago

August 4, 2024

Is it worth saving money to let a car insurance company track your every move?

As insurance premiums seem to increase frequently, it isn’t a wonder why consumers are looking for ways to lower their rates. Most auto insurance companies offer some sort of discount for safer driving that’s tracked by the insurance company.

This is why we were interested in exploring the question posed by Mary regarding the pros and cons of allowing your insurance company to track your driving in exchange for potentially lower premiums.

“State Farm … provided me with a ‘tracker’ so they can provide safe driver discounts. Am I providing too much information? I started to fill [out] info on the app but stopped. They will give me driving tips/suggestions based on the tracker. What is your opinion on this type of tracker?” — Mary, St. Louis, MO

While most auto insurance companies offer some form of vehicle tracking in exchange for rewarding safe driving, the question most drivers have is whether the benefits outweigh the potential privacy concerns.

GET SECURITY ALERTS, EXPERT TIPS – SIGN UP FOR KURT’S NEWSLETTER – THE CYBERGUY REPORT HERE

A woman behind the wheel of a car (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What are the car insurance privacy devices?

Though Progressive was the first to introduce a drive and save program, Snapshot, in 1998, many insurance companies followed suit. Instead of plugging in a telematics device to collect driving data, insurance companies are using OnStar and apps on drivers’ mobile devices.

For State Farm, specifically, you have the option of a Bluetooth beacon in tandem with the mobile app or Drive Safe & Save Connected Cars. State Farm is phasing out OnStar for new enrollees.

It’s important to note that there isn’t one set of metrics that all insurance companies collect or use to determine what they consider safe driving. So, if you are considering what information is collected and how your driving will be assessed, it is important to learn the specifics of your particular insurance company.

State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save app (State Farm)

WHAT YOUR CAR KNOWS ABOUT YOU AND COULD BE TELLING THE WORLD

What information is collected?

Though each auto insurance company collects different data points, the common types of data collected include but are not limited to:

Acceleration rate
Drive speed
Braking speed
Cornering
Phone distraction
Total miles driven

HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PRIVATE DATA FROM THE INTERNET

How do usage-based insurance programs work?

Usage-based insurance (UBI) programs, also known as telematics or “pay-as-you-drive” insurance, have gained popularity among major insurers as a way to offer personalized premiums based on individual driving behavior. These programs typically work as follows:

Enrollment: Drivers opt into the program, usually in exchange for an initial discount.

Data collection: The insurance company provides either a plug-in device for your car’s OBD-II port or a smartphone app to track your driving.

Monitoring period: Your driving is monitored for a set period, often 3-6 months.

Data analysis: The insurer analyzes the collected data to assess your driving habits.

Premium adjustment: Based on the analysis, your premium may be adjusted. Safe drivers often see a reduction in their rates.

Different insurers offer various programs with unique features:

State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save: Uses a mobile app with a Bluetooth beacon or built-in telematics in select vehicles.

Progressive’s Snapshot: One of the pioneers in UBI, offering both a plug-in device and mobile app option.

Allstate’s Drivewise: Uses a mobile app to track driving behavior and offer rewards.

Geico’s DriveEasy: A mobile app-based program that monitors driving habits.

Liberty Mutual’s RightTrack: Offers a choice between a plug-in device or mobile app.

It’s important to note that while these programs can lead to significant savings for safe drivers, they may result in higher premiums for those deemed higher risk. Additionally, availability and specific features can vary by state due to differing insurance regulations.

Before enrolling in any UBI program, carefully review the terms and conditions, paying special attention to what data is collected, how it’s used and how it might affect your premiums in both the short and long term.

HOW TO OUTSMART CAR THIEVES WITH THESE SMART AIRTAG TACTICS

What are the concerns?

It isn’t just the type of collected information that is a privacy concern. Many insurance companies have privacy policies that allow them to share your data with third parties. While State Farm says that it will not sell your Drive Safe & Save data, it does share some information with third parties.

Data sharing associated with Accident Assistance for Drive Safe & Save is with the driver’s consent and intended to enhance the customer experience. For example, if needed, State Farm may share the vehicle location with a tow company and law enforcement if you are in a disabled vehicle. Additionally, if you are in a car accident, your insurance company may use your tracking data to assist with a claim.

Your idea of safe driving may differ from your insurance company’s. Some drivers have even seen their rates rise after using drive-tracking programs. It’s not just the insurance company that may have access to your driving information. With State Farm, named policyholders can see all trips recorded on all devices for the last 30 days.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE U.S. NEWS

Illustration of an insurance policy and how you should scrutinize it (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

HOW YOUR CAR MIGHT BE SELLING YOU OUT TO INSURERS

What are the benefits?

While the specific amount of discount depends on the insurance company and driver, State Farm, for example, claims that those enrolled in its Drive Safe & Save program can initially save 10% by enrolling in the program with up to a 30% discount possible.

It is important to note that the percentage you can save may be capped in certain states, such as New York, where the discount is capped at 30%. This program is unavailable in states such as California, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. If you don’t drive much and drive safely, it can be a way to reduce your payments with your auto insurance company. With data being logged about your driving safety, it can be a great learning tool to accurately assess your driving habits.

Illustration of drivers on the road (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Mary was spot on in pausing to contemplate the benefits and potential problems of allowing driving to be tracked by an insurance company. It’s important to weigh the potential benefits, such as possible discounts, against these privacy concerns. If you feel any discomfort or concern about the data they are collecting and how it is being used, this program offered by your insurance company might not be right for you. If you are already using a tracker and are uncomfortable, you should contact your insurance provider for guidance on removing the feature or app and your associated data.

Remember, it’s always crucial to read and understand the terms and conditions before using any app, especially those that collect personal data. It’s your data, and you have the right to know how it’s being used.

Are you part of any insurance tracking program? Do you feel the benefits outweigh the privacy concerns? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover

Follow Kurt on his social channels

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

How to find your oldest social media posts and delete them

Published

2 hours ago

August 4, 2024

Press Room

How to find your oldest social media posts and delete them

We’ve been living with social media for a long time now — Facebook opened up to the public in 2006 — and that means a lengthy trail of posts stretching back through the years. While this does let you take a nostalgic trip into the past with just a few clicks, it can also bring up some embarrassing and awkward memories.

Maybe your Twitter takes from 10 years ago haven’t aged well, or there’s an ex-partner you’d rather not remember, or you’re heading for a job interview and don’t want your would-be employers to judge who you are now from your decades-old social media posts.

Whatever the reason, you can find and delete ancient social media posts without too much difficulty using the web or mobile apps. (They say that anything on the internet is forever, of course, but you can do your best to at least somewhat mute your mistakes. Who knows? Maybe your potential new boss never heard of the Wayback Machine.) We’ve included instructions for Facebook, X, and Instagram, as these are the places where you’re most likely to have posted content you’ve long since forgotten about.

Facebook

With just a few clicks, you can travel back in Facebook time.

Screenshot: Facebook

Facebook is closing in on 20 years of being available to anyone with an email address, so let’s start there. If you were around when Facebook first arrived, you’ll remember personal status updates were much more common than they are now — people even used to write on each other’s profiles, MySpace-style.

The easiest way to find your oldest posts is to load Facebook on the web:

Select your name (on the left) to see your profile.
At the top of the column with your posts listed on them (just below the What’s on your mind? field), look for and click on the Filters button.
Use the Go to drop-down menu to find the year you joined Facebook. (Don’t remember when you joined? We’ll tell you how to find that info in a moment.)
Click Done to see posts from that year.

You can go back through your posts on mobile, too.

Open your Facebook profile in the mobile app.
Scroll down to your posts and look for (and tap) the Filters link to the right.
With mobile, it’s a little more awkward; you can’t just jump to specific years but must tap through a calendar instead.

Don’t remember when you joined Facebook? That’s something you can find out, although the process is a little complicated:

You can find out when you joined Facebook by following a long list of links.

Screenshot: Facebook

Open Facebook and click your profile picture.
Select Settings & Privacy > Settings.
Look for the Account Center on the right side of your page. Select it and then go to Your Information and Permissions > Access Your Information > Personal Information.
Your account creation date will be the first thing under Profile information.

Select your profile image in the upper-right corner.
Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Account Center > Your information and permissions > Access your information > Personal information.
As with the web version, if you look for Profile information, you’ll see the date you created your account.

If you have a lot of posts to sift through, you can use other filters (like month) to narrow down the results. If you see something you want to get rid of, just click the three dots next to it, then click Delete post.

X / Twitter

Use search on X to find your older posts — the ones you created when it was called Twitter.

Screenshot: X Corp.

X, which was previously known as Twitter, can often be a place for opinions and takes, and it’s possible — even probable — that some of them have aged better than others. If you want to go down memory lane (and assuming you haven’t already deactivated your account), you can get to your oldest tweets in a few ways, but using the platform’s built-in search engine is the most straightforward.

Type (from:username) until:yyyy-mm-dd since:yyyy-mm-dd in the search box at the top of the page.
Change the username to your X handle, adjust the dates, and then hit Enter.
Click the Latest tab at the top to sort the posts chronologically.

To delete a tweet, click the three dots next to it, then click Delete.

If you don’t remember when you first joined, go to your Profile; the date you joined should be beneath your description.

If you want to use the mobile app for X instead, you can use the same search terms as above to find your tweets. Just tap the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the screen to get to the search box.

Instagram

It’s easy to find your oldest posts on the Instagram app.

Screenshot: Meta

You can delete or archive old Instagram posts.

Screenshot: Meta

Instagram is only a few years behind Facebook and X when it comes to age, appearing in public for the first time in 2010. That’s a lot of years for photos and videos to build up on your public feed, even if a lot of Instagram activity is focused on Stories, which automatically disappear.

Here, you’re best off using the Instagram app on mobile:

Tap your profile picture (bottom right).
Tap on the three horizontal lines (top right).
Choose Your activity > Posts.
Tap Newest to oldest and change it to Oldest to newest.

Your first-ever Instagram posts will then appear at the top of the screen. If you want to be more specific in your search, tap the All dates drop-down menu, which lets you look for Instagram posts within a specific date range.

If you see something you’d rather not have on your Instagram profile, tap on the post, tap the three dots in the top-right corner, and then choose Delete. The same menu lets you archive a post, which means you can still see it (and all the comments and likes), but it’s hidden for everyone else.

Technology

A pivotal online hub for ROM hacks goes news-only after two decades

Published

10 hours ago

August 4, 2024

Press Room

A pivotal online hub for ROM hacks goes news-only after two decades

ROMhacking.net, a longtime stalwart of the online classic gaming world mostly turned the lights off on Saturday. Nightcrawler, who created and runs ROMhacking, announced that the site, which has hosted community-made alterations for classic games, has stopped taking submissions and will only post news going forward.

Nightcrawler said the site’s collection can be found on The Internet Archive (where, incredibly, all 20 years’ worth of hacks and other files are mostly concentrated in a single 11.7GB zip file.) He added that the forum will stay up and downloadables will remain available for now; otherwise, the site is in read-only mode.

Nightcrawler blamed the wind-down of the site on “24/7 use, endless queues, and an endless inbox,” as well as “legal burdens.” He also accused members of a group who’d offered to take over administering the site of doxxing him and of plotting to remove him from the site. One member of the group disputed his accusations in a series of posts on X.

Technology

Revolutionary flying car promises highway speeds and 3-hour flights

Published

10 hours ago

August 4, 2024

Press Room

Revolutionary flying car promises highway speeds and 3-hour flights

Someday, very soon, your daily commute may transform from a tedious crawl through traffic to a flight above it all. It’s the reality Pegasus Aerospace is bringing to life with their innovative Pegasus E-Class.

Unlike many competitors focusing solely on electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, Pegasus has taken a hybrid approach that combines the best of both worlds.

This clever design allows for an impressive 300-mile range and up to three hours of flight time before needing to refuel. Also, incredibly, no runway is required.

GET SECURITY ALERTS, EXPERT TIPS — SIGN UP FOR KURT’S NEWSLETTER — THE CYBERGUY REPORT HERE

Hybrid flying car. (Pegasus Aerospace)

Speed and efficiency

Let’s talk speed. On the road, the E-Class can hit over 75 miles per hour on pure electric power. In the air, it can reach speeds of up to about 99 mph. Imagine turning a 60-minute car trip into a 15-minute door-to-door flying adventure.

Hybrid flying car. (Pegasus Aerospace)

THIS CRAZY TWO-IN-ONE ELECTRIC VEHICLE COMES EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-SET AIRCRAFT HIDDEN INSIDE

From garage to sky

Now, you might be wondering, “Can I really park this thing in my garage?” The answer is yes. The Pegasus E-Class is designed to be a true flying car, seamlessly transitioning between road and air travel. With a recreational helicopter pilot’s license and a regular driver’s license, you could potentially park it at home, drive to the nearest vertiport and take off for your destination. For those who have a large enough private area, they could potentially take off and land within that space.

SUBSCRIBE TO KURT’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR QUICK VIDEO TIPS ON HOW TO WORK ALL OF YOUR TECH DEVICES

Hybrid flying car. (Pegasus Aerospace)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE U.S. NEWS

Practical refueling solution

But here’s the interesting part — when you do need to refuel, you don’t need to find a specialized charging station or aircraft fuel depot. Just pull into your local gas station and fill up with regular high-octane gasoline. It’s this kind of practical thinking that sets Pegasus apart.

Hybrid flying car. (Pegasus Aerospace)

SUPER SLICK ELECTRIC BEAST TAKES YOU FROM CITY STREETS TO MOUNTAIN PEAKS

Regulatory progress

One of the most exciting aspects of Pegasus is that this isn’t just a concept or a prototype. The E-Class has already obtained airworthiness registration with Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). They’re now working on leveraging this to fast-track Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registration in the U.S.

Hybrid flying car. (Pegasus Aerospace)

Hurdles to overcome

There are still hurdles to overcome. Regulatory approval in more countries, infrastructure development for vertiports and public acceptance of flying cars are all challenges that lie ahead. Safety will be paramount, just like any other company, and Pegasus will need to demonstrate consistently reliable performance to gain widespread trust.

HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PRIVATE DATA FROM THE INTERNET

The potential of Pegasus is enormous

Despite these challenges, the potential is enormous. If Pegasus can deliver on their promises, we could be looking at a fundamental shift in how we think about travel, especially for short to medium distances. The dream of avoiding traffic jams by simply taking to the skies could become a reality.

As Pegasus aims to showcase the E-Class at CES in January 2025 and any other U.S. exhibitions, the world will be watching. If successful, Pegasus could indeed make flying cars not just a vision of the future, but a practical reality of the present.

Hybrid flying car. (Pegasus Aerospace)

Beyond personal transportation

But Pegasus isn’t just about personal transportation. They’ve thought big, offering configurations ranging from single-seaters to a 4-seater air taxi. They’re eyeing applications in civilian use, medical services, logistics and even law enforcement.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Pegasus Aerospace is bringing the future of transportation to us right now. Their hybrid approach addresses many of the challenges facing pure electric flying vehicles, offering greater range and easier refueling. The ability to operate as both a car and an aircraft provides flexibility that could revolutionize personal and commercial transportation.

If flying cars like the Pegasus E-Class became widely available, would you feel comfortable using one for your daily commute or travel? What concerns you most about this technology? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

Follow Kurt on his social channels:

Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions: