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Ford US Privacy Policy, including Vehicle Connectivity Privacy
Effective Date : September 14, 2020
Last updated: March 28, 2020
Ford is committed to be a trusted steward of the personal information you share with us. We collect and use this data to help fulfill and build on Henry Ford’s vision of providing affordable, safe transportation to everyone. Today, we rely on data to incorporate state-of-the-art technology into our products and services to improve quality, minimize environmental impact, and make them safer and more enjoyable to drive, own, and use.
This Privacy Policy explains our collection, use, and sharing of personal information. This Policy applies to Ford Motor Company and to our controlled affiliates and subsidiaries (Ford) that link to this Privacy Policy (for example, on their websites or in their own privacy policies). References to our “products” in this Policy include vehicles, accessories and other devices, and apps, websites, and services. This Policy applies to our products or Ford entities that display or reference this Policy. It also applies to the following connected services, which have a product-specific privacy policy that supplements this Policy:
- Ford Pass: https://www.fordpass.com/en_us/privacy.html
- Lincoln Way: https://www.lincoln.com/lincolnway/en_us/termsprivacy.html#two
- MyFordMobile: https://myfordmobile.com/content/mfm/tnc/US_PS.pdf
Additional privacy details may be provided in your vehicle owner’s manual. Owner’s manuals are available at the following links:
- Ford Vehicles: https://owner.ford.com/tools/account/how-tos/owner-manuals.html
- Lincoln Vehicles: https://owner.lincoln.com/tools/account/how-tos/owner-manuals.html
This Policy does not apply to any products or entities that display or reference a different privacy policy. For example, separate privacy policies are available for the following:
- Ford Credit: If you have applied for or received financing through Ford Credit or are a Ford Interest Advantage investor, the personal information you provide as part of applying for, obtaining, and managing your account or investment is subject to the Ford Credit privacy notices available at https://www.ford.com/finance/privacy.
- FordDirect: If you request information or a contact from your local dealer through various shopping tools on Ford.com (including Build and Price, Search Dealer Inventory, Incentives and Offers, Request a Local Quote, and Trade-in Value), your personal information is collected and used by FordDirect, a company that assists Ford and its dealers, subject to the FordDirect Privacy Policy available at https://www.forddirect.com/privacy.
Additionally, Ford internally maintains privacy policies that pertain to employees, contractors, agency personnel, and retirees, and applicants when they are obtaining services related to employment (employees), or services related to a former, current, or potential engagement with Ford which are available upon login on the Life@Ford internal site under My Ford Resources > Other Workplace Policies and Guidelines, the internal Privacy website, and on the AXZ website.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Categories and Sources of Personal Information
- Cookies and Similar Technology
- Our Use of Personal Information
- Our Sharing of Personal Information
- Choice and Control of Personal Information
- Connected Vehicle Privacy
- California Privacy Rights
- European Data Protection Rights
- Retention of Personal Information
- Location of Personal Information
- Security of Personal Information
- Changes to This Privacy Policy
- How to Contact Us
CATEGORIES AND SOURCES OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with us, the products you use, and the choices you make. We collect personal information about you from different sources and in various ways:
Information You Provide to Us. You may choose to share information with us when you create or modify an account, request services, contact the Customer Relationship Center, or otherwise communicate with us. For example, we collect the following:
- Contact Information: Depending on the nature of your interaction with us, we collect personal or business information such as name, email address, postal address, and phone number. We may also ask you to provide contact lists or email addresses of others, for example if you use a “tell-a-friend” tool.
- Demographics: When creating or modifying an account, you may also provide additional information such as your age, nationality, and gender.
- Payment Data You Provide: If you make a purchase, we collect credit card numbers and other payment or billing information.
- Preferences: We may collect your preferences such as communication, language, and time zone.
- Audio/Visual: In some cases, you can upload a photo for a profile image when creating an account, or you may provide your photo at an event or as part of a contest or sweepstakes.
- Identification Numbers You Provide: Unique identification numbers associated with you.
- Security: When you create an account, we collect passwords, security questions, etc.
- Content of Communications: We will collect your communications with us, such as emails, customer service requests, survey responses, or social media posts or messages.
- Vehicle Service History: we collect vehicle service history when you share it with us on our sites.
When you are asked to provide personal information, you may decline (such as not entering a credit card to use MyWallet services in the FordPass application). But if you choose not to provide or allow information that is necessary for certain products or features, those products or features may not be available or function correctly.
Information From Your Vehicle. 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 in which it is driven. Some vehicles have connectivity features that send connected vehicle information to Ford to enable connected services.
If your vehicle does not have connectivity features (or does not have them enabled), data is stored in the vehicle and not accessible to Ford or others without physical access to the vehicle. We may receive the following information from your vehicle at service visits,
- Vehicle Data: Information about the vehicle, its components, and parts, including their status and performance and diagnostics of vehicle systems (e.g., VIN, hardware model and part numbers, odometer, tire pressure, fuel and fluid levels, battery and lock status, trouble codes, warning indicators and alerts) and other information about how the vehicle is performing.
If you have a connected vehicle or use connected vehicle services, we may receive Vehicle Data and additional categories of Connected Vehicle Information including Vehicle Location, Driving Data, Media Analytics, and Vehicle Analytics with Media Analytics. See the Connected Vehicle Privacy section, and your owner’s manual, for additional information.
Information From Your Devices. When you use our websites and online services, we automatically collect some information from your devices (such as mobile phone, tablet, smartwatch, or computer). For example:
- Device Details and Network Information: Some devices share, and our servers log, information such as type of device, hardware model, MAC Address, operating system, version, settings, configuration, and network-related information (for example, IP address, mobile network provider, etc.). We may also collect device motion information if you enable that functionality within your FordPass or Lincoln Way app. As further described in the Cookies section below, our websites and online services store and retrieve data using cookies set on your device.
- Digital Activity: When you connect to our online services, we collect information about your online activity and usage patterns, such as access times, webpages or content viewed, other websites visited, app features used, vehicles and options viewed, etc.
- Device and Mobile Location: Depending on your device and app settings, we also collect location data from your devices when you use our apps or online services.
You may use app or device controls to prevent certain types of automatic data collection. But if you choose not to provide or allow information that is necessary for certain products or features, those products or features may not be available or function correctly
Information We Generate About You. We infer new information from the data we collect, such as:
- Digital Activity: When you connect to our online services, we may infer your zip code, city, state, and country location based on your IP address. We may also make inferences from your online activity and usage patterns, such as access times, webpages visited, web logs, app features used, etc.
- Inferred Preferences: We infer new information from other data we collect, including using automated means to generate information about your likely preferences or other characteristics. For example, we may use information about your vehicle and past purchases to determine your likely readiness to make a new purchase, which we may use for marketing, advertising, or other purposes.
- Identification Numbers We Generate: When you interact with us, we may generate unique identification numbers such as account ID, or customer ID. In some cases, we generate unique identifiers assist with our processing of personal data. For example, in our exhibits at auto shows or other events, we may generate a bar code for each visitor that you can swipe as you interact with the exhibit. It may also allow you to access and share photos and videos if you use available technology to take your picture and/or video at the event.
- Payment Data We Generate: We may generate information when you pay for products and services, e.g., transaction history.
Other Sources of Information About You. In addition to information we collect from you, your vehicle, and your devices and the information we generate or infer, we obtain information from others when you direct them to share information with us and also in the following cases:
- Affiliates: We share personal information among the companies within the Ford Motor Company family of companies and affiliates. Our “family of companies” is the group of companies related to us by common control or ownership. We share information within this “family” as a normal part of conducting business and offering products and services to our customers.
- Dealers and Other Repairers: We receive data in connection with vehicle sales and service. For example, when you purchase a vehicle from a Ford dealer, the dealer shares with Ford Personal Contact Information about you including your name and address, as well as VIN and purchase information such as purchase date. We also receive Vehicle Service History information (and certain other vehicle repair information), which includes history of repairs and may include such information as visit details, service details, repair history, applicable recall repairs, repair order details and payment, and warranty and extended service plan information.
- Service Providers and Suppliers: We may receive Contact Information or other personal information from our vendors or agents working on our behalf for the purposes described in this Policy.
- Business Partners: We receive personal information from other companies with which we work together to offer services to our customers, or to reach potential customers with our marketing messages. Examples include:
- Advertising and Analytics Companies: Please see the Cookies section of this Privacy Policy for a description of how we share information with advertising and analytics providers.
- Joint Marketing Partners: We may receive personal information from partners with which we offer co-branded service or engage in joint marketing activities.
- Social Media Platforms: If you sign into a Ford service using a social media sign-on (such as Facebook Connect), or pre-populate fields in a form using such tools, you allow us to access your information that is publicly available or that you have made publicly available (e.g., name, user ID, profile picture) and any information the platform makes available. We encourage you to review the privacy policies for the social media platforms and authentication methods you use.
- Law enforcement agencies, courts, regulatory agencies, and others: We may receive personal information from government agencies or courts for legal compliance purposes, to protect your personal safety or the safety of others, to protect Ford’s or others’ rights, or to investigate fraud. We may also receive personal information from others; for example, in connection with litigation settlements, we may acquire information about you from third parties for the purpose of meeting our tax reporting obligations.
- Consumer Data Analytics Firms: We receive Demographics and other data from third parties for purposes such as supporting our marketing campaigns and personalizing services to our customers.
- Parties to Corporate Transactions: We may receive 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 business or assets.
- Publicly-Available Sources: We may obtain Demographics and other data from publicly-available sources, such as open government databases or other data in the public domain.
We may combine personal information you provide to us, information from your vehicle, information from your devices, information about you we receive from others, and information we generate about you.
We also collect information in a form that cannot reasonably be linked back to you.
COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES
Our websites and online services use cookies and similar technologies to operate and to help collect data. Cookies are small text files placed on your device to store data that can be recalled by a web server in the same domain that placed the cookie. The text in a cookie often consists of a string of numbers and letters that uniquely identifies your device, but it can contain other information as well.
Cookies on our websites are used to store your preferences and settings, enable you to sign-in, provide interest-based advertising, combat fraud, analyze how our products perform, personalize your experience and the content you see on our website (such as showing you information about our products and services that you have previously viewed or accessed or may be interested in), and fulfill other legitimate purposes.
Our websites may also contain electronic images known as web beacons (also called single-pixel gifs) that we use to help deliver cookies on our websites, count users who have visited those websites, and gather usage and performance data. We also include web beacons in our promotional email messages or newsletters to determine whether you open and act on them, and in our ads appearing on other sites to measure the performance of those ads.
Our websites often include web beacons and cookies from third-party service providers. In some cases, that is because we have hired the third party to provide services on our behalf, such as site analytics or advertising. In other cases, it is because our web pages contain third-party content (such as embedded videos, maps, plug-ins, or ads) that contain web beacons used to determine the effectiveness and track your interaction with that content. When your browser connects to a third party’s web server to retrieve content and/or web beacons, that third party is able to set or read its own cookies on your device and may collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites or online services that also contain that third party’s content or web beacons.
For example, many of our websites use Mouseflow, a third-party analytics tool, to track page content and click/touch, movement, scroll, and keystroke activity. You can find more information on Mouseflow’s privacy practices at https://mouseflow.com/privacy/ or opt-out at https://mouseflow.com/privacy/ . https://mouseflow.com/opt-out/. We also use Google Analytics and other Google services to support the operation of our websites. To learn about how Google uses and shares data it collects through these services, we encourage you to visit https://www.google.com/privacy.html and https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.
Interest-Based Advertising
As noted above, on some pages of our websites we allow third-party advertising partners to use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect or receive information regarding your activities on those web pages (e.g., your IP address, page(s) visited, time of day, and cookie identifiers). We may also share such information we have collected with Advertising and Analytics Companies. 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 future targeted advertisements to you to provide measurement services when you use Ford websites and online services, and when you interact with other (non-Ford) sites and online services. This practice is commonly referred to as "interest-based advertising" or “online behavioral advertising.”
Pages of our website that collect information that may be used by such advertising partners for interest-based advertising purposes are identified by a link to AdChoices in the footer of the page. To see a list of third-party advertising and analytics providers that set cookies from our websites, along with links to manage your preferences, click on the AdChoices link.
Industry-wide opt-outs. Many of these companies are also members of associations, which provide a simple way to opt out of analytics and ad targeting, which you can access at:
- United States: NAI (http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.aspx and DAA (http://www.aboutads.info/choices/)
- Canada: Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada (https://youradchoices.ca/)
- Europe: European Digital Advertising Alliance (http://www.youronlinechoices.com/)
Mobile advertising ID controls. Apple and Android mobile devices each generate an advertising identifier that can be accessed by apps and used by advertisers in much the same way that cookies are used on websites. Each operating system provides options to limit tracking and/or reset the advertising ID.
Browser cookie controls. Web browsers vary on whether they are set to accept various types of cookies by default. You can go to your browser settings to learn how to delete or reject cookies. If you choose to delete or reject cookies, this could affect certain features or services of our website. If you choose to delete cookies, settings and preferences controlled by those cookies, including advertising preferences, may be deleted and may need to be recreated.
Do Not Track. Some browsers have incorporated “Do Not Track” (DNT) features that can send a signal to the websites you visit indicating you do not wish to be tracked. Because there is not a common understanding of how to interpret the DNT signal, our websites do not currently respond to browser DNT signals. Instead, you can use the range of other tools to control data collection and use, including the cookie controls and advertising controls described above.
Email web beacons. You can disable web beacons in email messages by changing the settings on your email client to prevent the automatic downloading of images.
Adobe Experience Cloud Device Co-op controls. Ford participates in the Adobe Experience Cloud Device Co-op. This Co-op allows Adobe to better understand how websites and apps are used by linking various devices that appear to be used by the same person. In turn, it helps companies who are members of the Co-op, including Ford, create websites, apps and ads customized for you, across all your devices. You can learn more about the Co-op, how it works, and how to opt-out at https://cross-device-privacy.adobe.com.
OUR USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We use the personal information we collect for purposes described in this Policy or otherwise disclosed to you. For example, we have used personal information for the following purposes over the past 12 months:.
In carrying out these purposes, we combine data we collect from different sources to give you a more seamless, consistent, and personalized experience.
Finally, we may use de-identified information for any purpose in accordance with applicable law.
OUR SHARING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We share personal information with your consent, when you direct us to share it with others, or as necessary to complete your transactions or provide the products you have requested or authorized. For example, when you provide payment data to make a purchase, we will share that data with banks and other entities as necessary for payment processing, fraud prevention, credit risk reduction, or other related financial services. We also share personal information with:
- Affiliates. We share personal information among the companies within the Ford Motor Company family of companies and affiliates. Our “family of companies” is the group of companies related to us by common control or ownership. We share information within this “family” as a normal part of conducting business and offering products and services to our customers.
- Dealers. We share personal information with authorized Ford dealers. This is necessary, for example, to honor your request for a price quote on a vehicle or to provide a dealer with information for purposes of contacting you in their regular course of business.
- Service Providers and Suppliers. We share personal information with vendors or agents working on our behalf for the purposes described in this Policy. In such cases we require these vendors to protect the confidentiality of the personal information and to use it only to provide the services to us. For example, companies we've hired to provide customer service support or assist in protecting and securing our systems and services may need access to personal information to provide those functions.
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Business Partners. We share personal information with other companies that we work together with to offer services to our customers, or to reach potential customers with our marketing messages. Examples include:
- SIRIUS XM. We share contact information from vehicle sales with SIRIUS where the purchaser is eligible for a complimentary satellite radio trial.
- Advertising and Analytics Companies. Please see the Cookies section of this Policy for a description of how we work with advertising and analytics providers.
- Social Media Platforms. We share hashed emails from our marketing database with social media advertising platforms, such as Facebook, so that they can create Custom Audiences and deliver advertisements on our behalf to their users. Those users are identifiable to the Social Media company when it matches our hashed data to its hashed data of its users.
- Joint Marketing Partners. We share information with partners with which we offer co-branded service or engage in joint marketing activities.
- Vehicle Verification and Valuation Partners. We share information about factory-installed vehicle features and options with third parties such as auction companies, insurance companies, dealers, lenders, guidebook providers, vehicle websites, and prospective buyers so that they can verify a vehicle’s features and options and estimate its value. The features and options information that we share with these third parties is linked to the unique vehicle identification number (VIN).
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Law Enforcement Agencies, Courts, Regulatory Agencies, and Others. We will access, transfer, disclose, and preserve personal information when we believe that doing so is necessary to:
- comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process, including from law enforcement or other government agencies;
- detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, or to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury;
- operate and maintain the security of our products, including to prevent or stop an attack on our computer systems or networks; or
- protect the rights or property of ourselves or others, including enforcing our agreements, terms, and policies.
- Parties to Corporate Transactions. 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.
Finally, we may share de-identified information in accordance with applicable law.
Please note that some of our products include references or links to products or services provided by third parties whose privacy practices differ from ours. For example, some of our website features incorporate the Google reCAPTCHA tool, which collects hardware and software information, such as device and application data, in order to perform integrity checks and help prevent bots from using the feature. Your use of the reCAPTCHA tool is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Additionally, some of our websites and services include mapping features provided by Google, HERE, and Microsoft (Bing Maps), which will collect and use personal information, including location information. If you use those mapping services, provide personal information to any of those third parties, or consent to our sharing personal information with them, the personal information they receive is governed by their privacy statements available via the above links. For example, if you use Bing you agree to be bound by the Bing Terms of Use and Microsoft Privacy Policy.
CHOICE AND CONTROL OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Access, correction, and deletion. 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.
For example, if you sign in on to https://owner.ford.com and then select your profile, you can view and change your personal information and information about your vehicle(s), as well as change your email contact preferences.
If you are a participant in Ford’s New Vehicle Purchase Plan (for eligible Ford Motor Company employees, retirees, Family and Friends, and certain employees of Ford dealerships, suppliers, and other partners), you can access your personal information related to the New Vehicle Purchase Plan by signing in and choosing “My Profile” on www.axz.ford.com (for employees and retirees), www.myplan.ford.com (for friends and family), or www.dplan.dealerconnection.com (for dealership employees). Ford partners can make corrections to personal information collected through the www.fordpartner.com website by calling the AXZ Call Center at 800-348-7709.
If you cannot access certain personal information we have via the links above or directly through the Ford products you use, you can always contact us as described at the bottom of this Policy. However, to the extent permitted by applicable law, we reserve the right to charge a fee or decline requests that are unreasonable or excessive, where providing the data would be prohibited by law or could adversely affect the privacy or other rights of another person, or where we are unable to authenticate you as the person to whom the data relates.
Communications preferences. You can choose whether to receive promotional communications from us by email, physical mail, and telephone by contacting our Customer Relationship Center (see How To Contact Us at the bottom of this Policy). As noted above, you can access and change your email communications preferences by logging into your profile on https://owner.ford.com. If you receive promotional email messages from us and would like to stop, you can do so by following the directions in that message. If you receive text (SMS) messages from us, you can stop delivery of further messages of that type by following the instructions provided or replying “STOP,” after which you will receive a single message confirming your choice. These choices do not apply to mandatory service communications that are part of certain of our products (e.g., recall notices).
Vehicle Controls. To delete certain data stored on your vehicle, you may be able to perform a Master Reset. For controls related to connected vehicles, please see the Connected Vehicle Privacy section of this Policy. Additional details and instructions may be available in your vehicle owner’s manual.
Choices for Cookies and Similar Technologies. See the Cookies section for choices about cookies and other analytics and advertising controls.
CONNECTED VEHICLE PRIVACY
This Connected Vehicle Privacy section of our Privacy Policy applies to collection, use and sharing of Connected Vehicle Information that is retrieved by or on behalf of Ford from Ford or Lincoln cars and light trucks sold or leased to individual consumers for personal use in the United States (Connected Vehicle Information). If you drive a Ford or Lincoln vehicle equipped with connectivity features or technologies, and use Connected Services, we will collect information from your vehicle to enable Connected Services.
For information on items not addressed specifically in this Connected Vehicle Privacy section, refer to other sections of our Policy. For example, for information on use, see the Our Use of Personal Information section.
Connected Vehicle Information. As noted in the “Information from Your Vehicle” section above, Ford and Lincoln vehicles have systems that record data about how the vehicle is performing, how it is driven or used, where it is located, and the environment in which it is driven. In general, data is stored in the vehicle and not accessible to Ford or others without physical access to the vehicle, unless available and equipped, Connected Services are used or when the vehicle is serviced by Ford dealers. Please see the owner’s manual for details about information that is stored on the vehicle (for example, the SYNC system).
Some Ford and Lincoln vehicles have Connectivity Services or features that collect Connected Vehicle Information. The specific Connected Vehicle Information collected will depend on the services/features available in the vehicle and the settings applicable to those services/features. Connected Vehicle Information may be associated with a vehicle's unique identification number (“vehicle identification number” or “VIN”) or other component identifiers, which may be linked to an owner or lessee.
Connected Services are Ford and Lincoln services that use Connected Vehicle Information. You may also direct the sharing of Connected Vehicle Information to third parties, in which case the third party’s terms and conditions and privacy policies (and not this Policy) apply to its use of the information.
Connected Vehicle Information may be transmitted to us remotely through FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect), Lincoln Connect, AppLink, Wi-Fi, or obtained directly from the vehicle at service visits.
Connected Vehicle Information includes the categories below.
Depending on the vehicle model, SYNC software version and in-vehicle settings (if equipped), these categories may apply and be identifiable to the vehicle.
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Connected Vehicle Information Categories |
Examples |
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Vehicle Data: (may also be referred to as Vehicle Information)
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Information about the vehicle, its components and parts, including their status and performance and diagnostics of vehicle systems (such as VIN, hardware model and part numbers, odometer, tire pressure, fuel and fluid levels, battery and lock status, trouble codes, warning indicators, alerts, and SYNC diagnostics) and other information about how the vehicle is performing, as well as the environment in which it is driven (such as the temperature outside the vehicle and road surface conditions). |
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Driving Data: (may also be referred to as Driving Characteristics and Behavior) |
Information about how the vehicle is operated and used (such as speed, use of accelerator, brakes, steering, seat belts, etc.). |
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Vehicle Location: (may also be referred to as Precise Location Information) |
Location information including its current location (latitude and longitude of the vehicle) travel direction, speed, and charging locations used (if applicable). |
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Media Analytics |
Information about what is listened to in the vehicle (such as radio presets, volume, channels, media sources, title, artist, and genre). |
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Vehicle Analytics (may also be referred to as SYNC Analytics or In-Vehicle Services Information) with Media Analytics |
Information about the usage of vehicle features, services, and technology (such as which features are used), and information about what is listened to in the vehicle (such as radio presets, volume, channels, media sources, title, artist, and genre). |
Depending on the vehicle model, Media Analytics and Vehicle Analytics with Media Analytics can be turned "on" in the vehicle. When either Media Analytics or Vehicle Analytics with Media Analytics are turned "on," Vehicle Location information is also used. We also collect the following information in a form that cannot reasonably be linked back to you:
Vehicle Analytics: (may also be referred to as SYNC Analytics or In-Vehicle Services Information) when used without Media Analytics: Non-personal information about the usage of vehicle features, services, and technology (such as which features are used)
Failed Voice Commands: Non-personal information regarding failed voice commands
Connected Vehicle Controls. As described below, a variety of technologies work together to provide the ability to access Connected Services and features. Depending on how the vehicle is equipped, different in-vehicle controls may be available to you. Learn more about modems, other connectivity technology, and in-vehicle controls in the owner’s manual or call the Ford Customer Relationship Center (see How to Contact Us below). Owner’s manuals are available at the following links:
Ford Vehicles: https://owner.ford.com/tools/account/how-tos/owner-manuals.html
Lincoln Vehicles: https://owner.lincoln.com/tools/account/how-tos/owner-manuals.html
You can use these controls and take other steps to protect your privacy with respect to Connected Services. For example, we recommend the following:
- Read your vehicle owner’s manual and familiarize yourself with how the vehicle you are driving (or riding in) is equipped, for example vehicle connectivity options and data sharing settings.
- Read this Connected Vehicle Privacy section so you are aware of what Connected Vehicle Information may be collected and how it is used.
- Inform passengers and other drivers of the vehicle that Connected Vehicle Information is being collected and used by us and our service providers.
- Prior to selling or transferring ownership of the vehicle, complete a MASTER RESET (see below) to remove imported personal data like contact lists, names of paired devices and/or connected networks to return the vehicle to the default factory settings and:
- For vehicles with modems: this will also disassociate any FordPass/Lincoln Way account(s) connected to the vehicle and stop any account-related data sharing
- For vehicles with a Connectivity Device: you must remove the VIN from your FordPass/Lincoln Way account(s) to disassociate the vehicle from the account and stop any account-related data sharing
- Note: Account-related data sharing will continue unless (a) or (b) is performed.
- Please contact us if you have any questions.
- If you purchase or lease a pre-owned Ford or Lincoln vehicle, please visit www.FordConnected.com or www.ConnectedLincoln.com to check if a vehicle has connectivity technology. Based on how the vehicle is equipped, perform a MASTER RESET and complete the appropriate action detailed in number 4 (above). Please read the “How to Tell If a Vehicle Is Sharing Data” section to learn more. Connected Services such as FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) and Lincoln Connect, if equipped and activated, may send us Connected Vehicle Information and may have associated multiple accounts that may allow the account user to access vehicle location and services, such as remote start, lock and unlock, and information about vehicle status, such as fuel level.
- Review the terms and conditions and privacy policies for any third-party services or applications to which you subscribe and/or use while in a Ford or Lincoln vehicle.
- If you rent a connected vehicle, perform a MASTER RESET before you drive the vehicle and before you return the vehicle to the rental company. Please contact the rental company with any questions
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MASTER RESET Performing a Master Reset returns the vehicle’s modem to the factory settings and removes any imported personal data like cellular phone contact lists, names of paired devices and/or connected networks. Master Reset also disconnects modem-equipped vehicles from any FordPass / Lincoln Way accounts. See 4 above. Deleting the FordPass/Lincoln Way app from your device will not disable data sharing.
PERFORM A MASTER RESET: BEFORE SELLING OR TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP AFTER PURCHASING OR LEASING A PRE-OWNED VEHICLE BEFORE AND AFTER RENTING A VEHICLE FROM A RENTAL COMPANY |
When you are asked to provide personal information, you may decline (such as not associating a VIN to a FordPass/Lincoln Way account). But, if you choose not to provide or allow information that is necessary for certain products or features, those products or features may not be available or function correctly.
Connected Vehicle Services and Technologies. Having a connected vehicle means, depending how it is equipped and enabled, the vehicle may be able to use Connected Services, communicate with us and our service providers, and use apps on mobile devices. A variety of technologies work together to provide the ability to access Connected Services and features. To check if a Ford or Lincoln vehicle is equipped with connectivity technology, please visit www.fordconnected.com or www.connectedlincoln.com, read the vehicle’s owner’s manual or visit your dealer. We work with AT&T as our current cellular network provider for our connectivity services in the United States.
Our Connected Services include:
- FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) / Lincoln Connect (if equipped): FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) or Lincoln Connect enables access to features through a modem built into the vehicle. The modem allows the vehicle to connect to wireless networks, much like a mobile device with a subscriber identity module (SIM). Like other vehicle parts, the modem is installed at the factory.
- Periodically, the modem sends messages to us, through our cellular network provider to enable Connected Services. The messages could include information that identifies the vehicle, the SIM, and the electronic serial number (ESN) of the FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) / Lincoln Connect modem. At delivery, select model year 2020 and later vehicles are sharing vehicle related data with us (e.g., diagnostics).
- The cellular network provider may also associate the modem’s SIM to additional information such as cellular network tower identification. Unless the modem is deactivated, the modem will communicate with the cellular network provider.
- You may be able to customize your preferences in the in-vehicle connectivity settings menu. Please refer to the owner’s manual or contact the Ford Customer Relationship Center for more information. When connected with the FordPass app (Lincoln Way app), you may be able to access additional features.
- Ford Connectivity Devices (if equipped):
- Connectivity Devices (either installed in the vehicle at the factory, installed in the vehicle by a dealer, or plugged into the OBD port in compatible vehicles) enable access to Connectivity Services. Connectivity Devices allow connected vehicles to connect to a wireless network (much like a mobile device with a SIM).
- Periodically, the Connectivity Device sends messages to us, through our cellular network provider. These messages contain a unique number which identifies the Connectivity Device’s SIM, the vehicle's VIN, and the electronic serial number (ESN) of the Connectivity Device.
- The cellular network provider may also associate the Connectivity Device’s SIM to additional information such as cellular network tower identification. Unless the Connectivity Device is deactivated, the Connectivity Device will communicate with the cellular network provider. Please refer to the owner’s manual or contact the Ford Customer Relationship Center for more information.
- When connected with the FordPass app (Lincoln Way app), you may be able to access additional features. Some features require an active FordPass / Lincoln Way account.
- Wi-Fi Hotspot (if equipped): Certain vehicles equipped with FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) or Lincoln Connect can sign-up with AT&T for Wi-Fi Hotspot service in the vehicle. To enable the activation of the Wi-Fi Hotspot, certain information, including the vehicle's VIN and the SIM identifier, is provided to AT&T, who manages the subscription and will use that information according to its own privacy policy, which you can find at www.att.com. AT&T will inform us when certain data usage thresholds are met. If you have paired FordPass Connect (SYNC Connect) or Lincoln Connect to the FordPass or Lincoln Way app, you can view approximate data plan usage amounts within the app and in your vehicle. For more information about the vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot, please visit the following websites:
- Ford vehicles: https://owner.ford.com/tools/account/wifi-hotspot.html
- Lincoln vehicles: https://owner.lincoln.com/tools/account/wifi-hotspot.html
Note: If you’re planning to sell your Ford or Lincoln connected vehicle, remember to remove the vehicle from your AT&T account before you sell the vehicle. And, if you purchase or lease a used Ford or Lincoln connected vehicle, you’ll need to contact AT&T to add the new vehicle to your AT&T account.
- SYNC Wi-Fi (if equipped): To enhance the SYNC experience, when connected to Wi-Fi (data charges may apply), Vehicle Analytics is shared with us and we periodically release software updates so the vehicle has the latest compatible SYNC version. You can choose to enable Share Media Analytics, Send Failed Voice Commands, and/or Submit Feedback regarding SYNC in the in-vehicle settings menu.
- AppLink (if equipped): You may be able to use AppLink, to connect your mobile apps with SYNC 3 (SYNC). Your mobile device provides the data connection (so data charges may apply) and SYNC provides the infotainment integration, including voice controls.
- To enable mobile apps, SYNC requires user consent to send and receive app authorization information and updates, using the data plan associated with the connected device. The connected device sends encrypted data (such as the VIN, SYNC module serial number or other component identifier, odometer, enabled apps, usage statistics and debugging information) to us. SYNC organizes app permissions into groups. When not driving, you may be able to use the settings menu to grant these group permissions individually, change a permission group status, and see the data included in each group, if equipped. When you launch an app using SYNC, the system may ask you to grant certain permissions, for example, information about the vehicle, driving characteristics, GPS, speed, and/or push notifications. You can enable all groups or none of them during the initial app permissions prompts. Please see the owner’s manual for more information. Please note that you are only prompted to grant permissions the first time you use an app with SYNC. We recommend you review the terms and conditions and privacy policies for any third-party app or service to which you subscribe and/or use. We take no responsibility for apps or services provided by any third party, including their use of any data.
- If you change your mind about sharing vehicle information with a mobile app or want to stop using it with SYNC, you can change your preferences in SYNC’s Mobile App settings in the vehicle.
- 911 Assist (if equipped): 911 Assist (if equipped and active) may, through any paired and connected cellular phone, disclose to emergency services that the vehicle has been in a crash involving the deployment of an airbag or, in certain vehicles, the activation of the fuel pump shut-off. Certain versions or updates to 911 Assist may also be capable of being used to electronically or verbally provide the vehicle location (such as latitude and longitude) and/or other details about the vehicle or crash, change in velocity, and possible detection of fastened seatbelts, or personal information about the occupants to 911 operators to assist them in providing the most appropriate emergency services. If you do not want to disclose this information, do not activate the 911 Assist feature. If any user sets 911 Assist to on or off, that setting applies for all paired phones. To switch 911 Assist on and off or for more information, please see your owner’s manual (SYNC© and Settings).
- Location and Global Positioning System (GPS) (if equipped): Some vehicles contain global positioning system (GPS) capability or, in some instances, may utilize the GPS in connected wireless devices. GPS may be used to determine the vehicle’s physical location, travel direction, and speed, and to record this information over time to provide location-based services.
- Ford Apps: If a vehicle is equipped with connectivity technology, you may be able to connect to the vehicle using the FordPass/Lincoln Way apps, or the MyFord Mobile app. If you associate a vehicle to your FordPass/Lincoln Way or MyFord Mobile account, the vehicle may send Connected Vehicle Information, including location information, to us. To turn off sharing data associated with your FordPass/Lincoln Way account, you must perform a MASTER RESET on the vehicle or remove the VIN from your FordPass / Lincoln Way app garage. Deleting the app from your device will not disable data sharing. For more information, please see the app privacy policy:
- Ford Pass: https://www.fordpass.com/en_us/privacy.html
- Lincoln Way: https://www.lincoln.com/lincolnway/en_us/termsprivacy.html#two
- MyFordMobile: https://myfordmobile.com/content/mfm/tnc/NA_PS.pdf
How to Know if a Vehicle is Sharing Data.
Select model year vehicles include in-vehicle screens that indicate when Connected Vehicle Information is being shared:
Connected Vehicle Information Transmitted by the Vehicle
Vehicle Data (no Vehicle Location). Driving Data may also be shared if the vehicle is associated with a FordPass / Lincoln Way account.
Vehicle Location
Vehicle Data, Driving Data, and Vehicle Location
You may be able to check the status bar on the screen of the in-vehicle infotainment system, if equipped, for alerts and notifications, including strength of nearby Wi-Fi networks or the strength of the connection coming from your mobile device.
Vehicles equipped with Connectivity Devices include a window etching (or sticker) with an image similar to below, indicating the Connectivity Device may be sharing Connected Vehicle Information, for example vehicle data and location.
Sharing a Vehicle or Driving a Shared Vehicle. If you share a vehicle with others, please tell them about the connectivity and privacy settings for the vehicle. For example, inform passengers within the vehicle and other drivers of the vehicle that Connected Vehicle Information is being shared with us and our service providers. And, let them know where they can find the information needed to connect to the vehicle's Wi-Fi Hotspot (if equipped and activated) and where they can turn off vehicle location and other connected vehicle data sharing settings, if equipped.
Multiple accounts can be created on the FordPass app/Lincoln Way app, and more than one account can be connected to a single vehicle. If you drive a vehicle with more than one account connected to it, the user(s) of each account will have access to:
- the vehicle's location;
- services that allow the vehicle to be remotely started, locked and unlocked; and
- services that show information about the vehicle's status (for example, its fuel level).
Similarly, if you drive a vehicle with the FordPass / Lincoln Way app connected to it, the user(s) of the app will have access to the information and services outlined above.
If you want to connect an account on the FordPass / Lincoln Way app to a vehicle which has already been connected to another account, your name and the fact that you have requested this connection will be shared, via the FordPass /Lincoln Way app, with current user(s) who connected to the vehicle before you. The current user or users have the opportunity to allow or refuse your connection to the vehicle.
Additionally, you can turn off sharing data associated with your FordPass/Lincoln Way account by performing a MASTER RESET or by removing the VIN from your FordPass / Lincoln Way App garage. To learn how to perform a MASTER RESET, please see your owner’s manual. Deleting the app from your device will not disable data sharing. See Connected Vehicle Controls (above) for more information.
Some vehicles have in-vehicle pop-up notifications to alert drivers and passengers of Connected Vehicle Information sharing settings (see “How to Know if a Vehicle is Sharing Data” above). Drivers with an unrecognized mobile device may see a pop-up displayed in-vehicle informing them of the current vehicle data and/or location sharing settings. A mobile device is “recognized” if it has been paired with an infotainment system, like SYNC. This way if someone is new to the vehicle, or not driving it enough to pair their mobile device, the system will inform them of the vehicle’s current data and/or location sharing settings.
CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS
California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”)
If you are a California resident and the processing of personal information about you is subject to the CCPA, you have certain rights with respect to that information:
Access/Right to Know. You have a right to request that we provide you with the following information:
- The categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you in the last 12 months.
- The categories of sources from which we collect personal information.
- The purposes for collecting, using, or selling personal information.
- The categories of third parties with which we share personal information.
- The categories of personal information we have disclosed about you for a business purpose. Note that the CCPA defines “business purpose” broadly; and because we use service providers for a number of business purposes that require access to our systems that hold personal information (such as supplying cloud data storage, maintaining the security of our systems, and providing customer support), in the past 12 months we have disclosed for a business purpose data from all of the categories of personal information that we maintain.
- The categories of personal information we have sold about you for each category of third party to which the personal information was sold. Note that the CCPA defines “sell” very broadly, and some of our data sharing described in this Policy may be considered a “sale” under that definition. We do not knowingly sell the personal information of minors under 16 years of age without affirmative authorization.
In the past 12 months, we have shared personal information with others for commercial purposes or their independent uses as follows:
- SIRIUS XM. We share Contact Information from vehicle sales with SIRIUS where the purchaser is eligible for a complimentary satellite radio trial.
- Advertising and Analytics Companies. We share Device Details and Network information, Digital Activity, Preferences, Demographics, Device and Mobile Location
- Joint Marketing Partners and Dealers. We share the following information with partners and dealers for co-branded service offerings or joint marketing activities:
Contact Information, Demographics, Preferences, Inferred preferences, Content of Communications, Vehicle Service History, Vehicle Data, Device Details and Network information, and Digital Activity.
- Vehicle Verification and Valuation Partners. We share information about factory-installed vehicle features and options with third parties such as auction companies, insurance companies, dealers, lenders, guidebook providers, vehicle websites, and prospective buyers so that they can verify a vehicle’s features and options and estimate its value. The features and options information that we share with these third parties is linked to the unique vehicle identification number (VIN).
Right to Delete. You also have a right to request that we delete personal information under certain circumstances, subject to a number of exceptions.
Right to Opt-Out From Sales. You also have a right to opt-out from future sales of personal information, which you can exercise by clicking on the “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” button on our website. See also the Cookies section of this Policy to learn how to opt out of analytics and ad targeting.
How to Exercise Your California CCPA Rights
You can exercise your CCPA rights by submitting your request(s) to us using the web form located at www.ford.com/help/privacy/ccpa or www.lincoln.com/help/privacy/ccpa. You can also exercise your CCPA rights by calling us, toll-free, at 1-888-459-1291, Monday through Friday from 5:00 am until 8:00 pm Pacific time or Saturday from 5:00 am until 5:00 pm Pacific time. Our call center will be closed on Sundays and on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
If you want to exercise more than one of your CCPA rights, please submit a separate request for each CCPA right, which will help us handle your requests more effectively. Please be aware that we will process your requests in the order we receive them.
Whether you use the web form or call us, we will need information from you to process your request so that we can confirm you are a California resident, determine if we have personal information about you, and, for access and deletion requests, verify your identity. We may also need to contact you about your request, and you can choose the contact method you would like us to use.
Please be aware there might be circumstances where we will not honor your request, as permitted under the CCPA. For example, if we are not able to verify your identity and that you are a California resident, we may not honor your access or deletion request. In addition, we may not delete your personal information if an exception under the CCPA applies.
You may designate, in writing or through a power of attorney, an authorized agent to make requests on your behalf to exercise your rights under the CCPA. Before accepting such a request from an agent, we will require the agent to provide proof you have authorized it to act on your behalf, and we may need you to verify your identity directly with us.
If you want an authorized agent to submit a “Delete My PI” or “Access My PI” request on your behalf, the authorized agent must provide proof of their registration with the California Secretary of State, as well as proof that you gave the authorized agent written permission to submit the request(s) on your behalf. We may also require you to verify your identity with us.
If you want an authorized agent to submit a “Do Not Sell My PI” instruction on your behalf, the authorized agent must provide proof of their registration with the California Secretary of State, as well as proof that you gave the authorized agent written permission to submit the instruction on your behalf.
You have a right to not be discriminated against for exercising rights set out in the CCPA.
California Shine the Light
Additionally, under California’s “Shine the Light” law, California residents who provide personal information in obtaining products or services for personal, family, or household use are entitled to request and obtain from us once a calendar year information about the customer information we shared, if any, with other businesses for their own direct marketing uses. If applicable, this information would include the categories of customer information and the names and addresses of those businesses with which we shared customer information for the immediately prior calendar year (e.g., requests made in 2020 will receive information regarding 2019 sharing activities).
To obtain this information on behalf of Ford Motor Company’s Ford and Lincoln U.S. operations, please send an email message to calprivy@ford.com with "Request for California Privacy Information" on the subject line and in the body of your message. You can also exercise your rights under California’s “Shine the Light” law, by clicking https://www.ford.com/help/privacy/#caPrivacy).
We will provide the requested information to you at your e-mail address in response. Please be aware that not all information sharing is covered by the "Shine the Light" requirements and only information on covered sharing will be included in our response. Please also note that we may not be required to respond to requests made by means other than through the above designated e-mail address.
California Business and Professions Code Section 22581
California residents under the age of 18 who are registered users of online sites, services, or applications have a right under California Business and Professions Code Section 22581 to remove, or request and obtain removal of, content or information they have publicly posted. To remove content or information you have publicly posted, please send a detailed description of the specific content or information you wish to have removed; see How to Contact Us below. Please be aware that your request does not guarantee complete or comprehensive removal of content or information posted online and that the law may not permit or require removal in certain circumstances.
EUROPEAN DATA PROTECTION RIGHTS
If the processing of personal data about you is subject to European Union data protection law, you have certain rights with respect to that data:
- You can request access to, and rectification or erasure of, personal data;
- If any automated processing of personal data is based on your consent or a contract with you, you have a right to transfer or receive a copy of the personal data in a usable and portable format;
- If the processing of personal data is based on your consent, you can withdraw consent at any time for future processing;
- You can to object to, or obtain a restriction of, the processing of personal data under certain circumstances; and
- For residents of France, you can send us specific instructions regarding the use of your data after your death.
To make such requests or contact our Data Protection Officer, contact us at the address at the bottom of this Policy. When we are processing data on behalf of another party that is the “data controller,” you should direct your request to that party. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, but we encourage you to first contact us with any questions or concerns.
We rely on different lawful bases for collecting and processing personal data about you, for example, with your consent and/or as necessary to provide the products you use, operate our business, meet our contractual and legal obligations, protect the security of our systems and our customers, or fulfill other legitimate interests.
RETENTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide the products and fulfill the transactions you have requested, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and other legitimate and lawful business purposes. Because these needs can vary for different data types in the context of different products, actual retention periods can vary significantly based on criteria such as user expectations or consent, the sensitivity of the data, the availability of automated controls that enable users to delete data, and our legal or contractual obligations.
LOCATION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
The personal information we collect may be stored and processed in your country or region, or in any other country where we or our affiliates, subsidiaries, or service providers maintain facilities. The storage location(s) are chosen to operate efficiently and improve performance. We take steps designed to ensure that the data we collect under this Policy is processed according to the provisions of this Policy and applicable law wherever the data is located.
Location of Processing European Personal Data. We transfer personal data from the European Economic Area and Switzerland to other countries, some of which have not been determined by the European Commission to have an adequate level of data protection. When we do so, we use a variety of legal mechanisms, including contracts, to help ensure your rights and protections. To learn more about the European Commission’s decisions on the adequacy of personal data protections, please visit: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/data-transfers-outside-eu/adequacy-protection-personal-data-non-eu-countries_en.
SECURITY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Safeguarding personal information is important to us. While no systems, applications, or websites are 100% secure, we take reasonable and appropriate steps to help protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, and destruction.
To help us protect personal information, we request that you use a strong password and never share your password with anyone or use the same password with other sites or accounts.
CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
We will update this Privacy when necessary to reflect changes in our products, how we use personal information, or the applicable law. When we post changes to the Policy, we will change the "Last Updated" date at the top of the Policy. If we make material changes to the Policy, we will provide notice or obtain consent regarding such changes as may be required by law.
HOW TO CONTACT US
If you have a privacy concern, complaint, or a question for Ford, please contact us at:
Ford Motor Company
Customer Relationship Center
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, MI 48126
Telephone
800-392-3673
800-232-5952 (TDD for the hearing impaired)
We are committed to working with consumers to obtain a fair and rapid resolution of any complaints or disputes about privacy and the handling of your data. We will be happy to respond to your questions and comments.