Would Garmin tell police or insurers where you’ve been?

Yesterday, a story broke in a local paper about a kid trying to beat a speeding ticket with data from his GPS. But what caught my eye was the followup story, titled GPS may be used against you. This section was particularly interesting…

"Among other things, these devices calculate speed and location, information that could prove critical in determining who is at fault in a car crash.

Garmin, a leading manufacturer of in-vehicle navigation devices, takes each request for this information on a "case-by-case basis," spokeswoman Jessica Myers said.

She declined to say how many times this data has been sought or if Garmin has a policy in place to protect customer information."

Wow! It sure sounds like Garmin is giving up data. With a court order, I imagine they have no choice. But their reticence to enunciate a policy is quite troubling. Will they retrieve info for an insurance company, a private detective? C’mon Garmin; you’re bound to have a policy on customer privacy. Tell us what it is.