Everything We Know About What Data Brokers Know About You. June 13, 2014: This story has been updated.
It was originally published on March 7, 2013. We've spent a lot of time this past year trying to understand how the National Security Agency gathers and stores information about ordinary people. But there's also a thriving public marketfor data on individual Americans—especially data about the things we buy and might want to buy. Consumer data companies are scooping up huge amountsof 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. The Dark Market for Personal Data - NYTimes.com. Photo BALTIMORE — THE reputation business is exploding.
Having eroded privacy for decades, shady, poorly regulated data miners, brokers and resellers have now taken creepy classification to a whole new level. They have created lists of victims of sexual assault, and lists of people with sexually transmitted diseases. Data Brokers, Congress, and You. Hearings - U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation. WASHINGTON, D.C.— Chairman John D.
(Jay) Rockefeller IV today announced the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold a hearing on Wednesday, December 18, 2013, at 2:30 p.m. to examine the data broker industry and how industry practices may impact consumers. The hearing comes after a yearlong Commerce Committee examination of how data brokers collect, compile, and sell consumer information for marketing purposes.