You Don’t Know Them, But They Know You

Meet: the (Data) Brokers

Ever wondered how that “perfect” ad seems to follow you around online—or why a company you’ve never heard of somehow knows your address, income range, and favorite coffee shop? 

Reader, meet the data broker.

A data broker is a company that collects, buys, and sells information about people. Not necessarily to you, but about you. They gather data from all over—public records, loyalty programs, social media, even apps that quietly share your location—and bundle it into profiles that can include thousands of data points per person. Those profiles are then sold or licensed to advertisers, political campaigns, insurers, and, increasingly, anyone willing to pay for your personal information.

You’ve probably never interacted directly with a data broker, but they’ve likely interacted with your data. Their insights help companies decide everything from who gets a discount code to which neighborhoods can see certain job ads. The problem isn’t only that this information exists; it’s that you don’t control it. Most people never consented to being profiled in this way or have any idea how to opt out.

So what can you do?

• Be mindful of what data you share—and where. See our 10 Sneaky Ways Data Brokers Get Your Info resource. 

• Opt out of major brokers when possible. See this list of Top Harmful Data Brokers and use our tracker to manage your progress.

• Talk with your friends and family about these risks. Helping loved ones understand how data brokers work—and what they can do to limit exposure—keeps everyone a little safer online, including you!

Data brokers thrive in the shadows. The more we understand how they operate, the harder it becomes for them to do so unchecked.

>> Learn more about how data rules your life from the infamous Dr. Cathy O’Neil from her blog or her book, Weapons of Math Destruction.