What are Data Brokers?

Data brokers are companies that gather large amounts of personally identifiable information (PII) from a wide range of sources. Their business is to collect, analyze, and sell or license your personal data to anyone willing to pay for it.

How do data brokers work?

• Data brokers pull your information from places like government public records, self-reported signups, social media accounts, and other data brokers.
• They combine this information, clean it up, analyze it, and build a profile of you.
• Then, they sell these profiles or license access to other organizations, including marketers, employers, and even more data brokers.

Read more here.

Who counts as a data broker?

Many types of companies act as data brokers, including:

• People search websites (such as MyLife.com, Whitepages.com, BeenVerified.com, Spokeo.com)
• Background check websites
• Marketing research agencies
• Credit reporting agencies

These are just a few examples. There are hundreds of sites and services that collect and sell personal data every day.

Why should you be concerned?

Data brokers can make your private details far more public than you expect. With so much information flying around, there are big risks, including:

• Increased risk of identity theft
• Lost job or relationship opportunities
• Unwanted marketing or spam
• Possibilities for discrimination

In the US, there are very few online privacy laws that truly protect you, and most rules are set by individual states. This means your personal data can travel far and wide, often without strong security or your consent.

At DeleteMe, we believe everyone deserves to control who has their private information. Want to know more or see how we remove your data from these sites? Read more here or talk to our Privacy Advisors at support@joindeleteme.com.