TomTom users angry as they unwittingly help police create more speedtraps

The Dutch firm sold data produced by drivers using its sat-nav system to authorities in the Netherlands - believing, or so it claims, that the data would be used to relieve bottlenecks and improve safety. However, the data was in fact cross referenced with other information by police in the country to create hotspots where speed-traps would catch the largest number of unwary drivers.

It's becoming a familiar story - technology intended to help us in daily life tells tales behind our backs or is used for questionable purposes: witness the recent revelation that the iPhone takes notes on everywhere it's been (that's now due to a 'bug' apparently - not a deliberate attempt to mis-use user data). TomTom users are understandably irate about the use of their particular data, leading to an apology from TomTom, and a promise to do better in future.

However, with the sat-nav market being slowly dismantled by the rise and rise of the GPS-enabled smartphone, TomTom is likely to continue to sell data to third parties to supplement its falling sales. Or maybe the company has simply gone over to the dark side after the release of its Darth Vader-voiced system last year.