Goddijn

Mr. Goddijn declined to say how much money TomTom makes from selling data to governments.

TomTom to Bar Police Data Use Archibald Preuschat 2011

Last week, it emerged that police in certain Dutch provinces used data collected by TomTom to better plan where to locate speed traps, causing an outcry in the country and forcing Mr. Goddijn to apologize in e-mails to its customers and in full-page advertisements in Dutch newspapers.

TomTom to Bar Police Data Use Archibald Preuschat 2011

The company can't guarantee "a hundred percent" that the issue was limited to its home market of the Netherlands, but there is no indication right now that it occurred in other countries, Mr. Goddijn said in an interview Monday.

TomTom to Bar Police Data Use Archibald Preuschat 2011

In the Netherlands, TomTom sold its data to a third-party company which resold it to the Dutch government, from where it finally ended up in the hands of provincial and local policy authorities, Mr. Goddijn said.

TomTom to Bar Police Data Use Archibald Preuschat 2011

When it emerged that Dutch police were making use of the data to determine where to place speed cameras "it was a sobering experience," Mr. Goddijn said, adding that TomTom has more work to do to explain how it protects customers' privacy.

TomTom to Bar Police Data Use Archibald Preuschat 2011

Last week Mr. Goddijn said he sees growing potential for new services and doesn't expect sales to be hurt by the recent controversy.

TomTom to Bar Police Data Use Archibald Preuschat 2011

For new contracts with governments, rules that bar police from using TomTom's speed profiles will come into effect within the next two weeks, Mr. Goddijn said.

TomTom to Bar Police Data Use Archibald Preuschat 2011

'Bud' Tribble, Apple's vice president of software technology "We did not foresee this type of usage," said Harold Goddijn , TomTom's chief executive.

Latest Treasure Is Location Data Jennifer Valentino-DeVries 2011

Bloomberg News TomTom CEO Harold Goddijn, shown in 2008, said it was 'sobering' to learn how the firm's data were used.

TomTom to Bar Police Data Use Archibald Preuschat 2011

AMSTERDAM—The use by police of navigation equipment maker TomTom NV's data to position speed cameras looks to have been limited to the Netherlands, but the company still has to lay out more clearly how it protects the privacy of its customers, Chief Executive Harold Goddijn said.

TomTom to Bar Police Data Use Archibald Preuschat 2011