TomTom is not providing active location information to the Dutch police, according to CEO Harold Goddijn. He was responding to reports that the navigation device maker makes available location info to local governments, which is also used by the police and reportedly used to set up traffic control operations. Goddijn said the company had not foreseen the use of traffic information by the police, and the company plans to change its licence terms to prevent any such use in future. Customers who have agreed to share their information provide information on their driving over the internet. The data is supplied anonymously, according to a TomTom spokesman. This provides the company with a database of information on traffic patterns so it can better predict disruptions and alert users. Governments can also use the information to help with road planning. According to the national police board, they do not get the information directly from TomTom. A traffic bureau processes the information and provides reports, a spokesman for the police said. This information is sent to governments and then reaches the police. Vodafone is also thought to be providing information indirectly, as part of its role in TomTo's HD Traffic service, Webwereld writes. The mobile operator provides since 2007 information on the location of its mobile customers to help develop the traffic info. TomTom customers for the HD Traffic service then get driving recommendations for avoiding traffic jams. TomTom introduced early this year TomTom Traffic Stats. This offers government bodies and traffic consultants information within 24 hours on real-time traffic conditions. Over 3 billion measurements each day are collected using GPS, mobile phone signals and Bluetooth, covering around 2,000 km of roads. In response to the reports, the Dutch automobile club ANWB said TomTom should provide more clear information to customers on how it uses the data, while the Rathenau Instituut, a research group studying the information society, said the government should consider a data retention rule similar to that applied to telecom operators.
