What kinds of information are collected? How are they classified, who uses this information, for what reasons? What you can do to avoid having your data sold and being profiled?
The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) focuses public attention on emerging civil liberties, privacy, First Amendment issues and works to promote the Public Voice in decisions concerning the future of the Internet.
Few consumers may have heard of Acxiom, a database marketer. But it has amassed the world’s largest commercial data trove about them.
In a fast-changing digital economy, Acxiom is developing even more advanced techniques to mine and refine data and to predict consumer behavior.
Federal authorities say current laws may not be equipped to handle the rapid expansion of an industry whose players often collect and sell sensitive financial and health information yet are nearly invisible to the public.
Explore how valuable your data are with this interactive calculator. While the multibillion-dollar data broker industry profits from the trade of thousands of details about individuals, those bits of information are often sold for a fraction of a penny apiece.
Twitter Inc bought social data provider Gnip for an undisclosed amount, signaling that it would take on a new role of packaging and selling data, a service in demand by business and government.
Consumer data companies are scooping up huge amounts of consumer information about people around the world and selling it, providing marketers details about whether you’re pregnant or divorced or trying to lose weight, about how rich you are and what kinds of cars you drive. But many people still don’t know data brokers exist.
“This documentary should be mandatory viewing for everyone who uses the internet.” John Ford, Slug Magazine
Admit it: you don’t really read the endless terms and conditions connected to every website you visit or app you download. But every day, billion-dollar corporations are learning more about your interests, your friends and family, your finances, and your secrets, and they’re not only selling the information to the highest bidder, but also sharing it with the government. And you agreed to all of it. What, if anything, you can do about it.
Last Comments