I Bought a Report on Everything That's Known About Me Online
Data brokers collect and sell people’s personal information. How accurate is what they find?
On a recent Thursday, I waited for an email that was supposed to contain every personal detail the internet knows about me. The message would be from online data broker—a company that collects and sells information that many people would hope is private. This includes browsing history, online purchases, and any information about you that’s publicly available: property records, court cases, marital status, social-media connections, and more. Facebook collaborates with data brokers for targeting advertisements. In some states, the Department of Motor Vehicles, among other agencies, sells information to brokers. Brick-and-mortar stores .
