Bare Identity

"OnStar’s latest T&C has some very unsettling updates to it, which include the ability to now collect your GPS location information and speed “for any purpose, at any time”. They also have apparently granted themselves the ability to sell this personal information, and other information to third parties, including law enforcement. To add insult to a slap in the face, the company insists they will continue collecting and selling this personal information even after you cancel your service, unless you specifically shut down the data connection to the vehicle after canceling. This could mean that if you buy a used car with OnStar, or even a new one that already has been activated by the dealer, your location and other information may get tracked by OnStar without your knowledge, even if you’ve never done business with OnStar."

"SecuraFone doesn't break new ground with its features, but it does bundle them together in a tidy package. The application uses the phone's GPS capabilities to create a log of where the phone has been for the past 90 days. It also allows parents to create "geo-fences," or virtual zones around safe locations such as home or school, and receive alerts when their children enter and exit one. The app also temporarily disables many of the smartphone's functions when it's in a moving car to reduce the risk of distracted driving."

"Lookout protects more than 12 million smartphone and tablet users from malware, spyware and identity theft attempts. It also backs up personal data and can quickly locate a lost or stolen phone. The Lookout app is powered by Lookout’s cloud-based Mobile Threat Network, which analyzes global threats and quickly blocks them with over-the-air updates to smartphones. That means Lookout can detect and deal with threats within minutes."

"It's worth keeping an eye on Canadian cable MSO Rogers Communications (NYSE: RCI), which is asking regulators to allow it to offer consumers banking services. The move could help Rogers boost revenue by supplying credit cards to customers, and it may also be able allow subscribers to use mobile phones to pay for products at retail outlets."

"Identity Assurance (IDA) will be the means through which citizens electronically provide their personal details to access government services, as more transactions move to a "digital by default" model. The project is to be provided by a range of private sector organisations to enable users to choose which company they wish to transmit their details through. But despite previous speculation, Facebook will not be involved."

"There is now so much research demonstrating that if people can manage to survive their tough patches, and make time and energy to focus on what they have together rather than what is missing, the hidden psychological and physical benefits are enormous. It’s not a question of morality versus narcissism – making your bed and lying on it, rather than heading for the hills – but understanding what will ultimately make us happiest."

"But there's something extra-powerful about interviewing a group of customers at once, making their cumulative, personal reality available to your company's leaders, putting it right under their noses, and having those leaders "hear" those comments in aggregate. They will see how customers agree on most points. They will understand what is important, and what is not. The trends, implications, and appropriate actions will become crystal clear."