Tag

Data Brokers

All articles tagged with #data brokers

politics29 days ago•11 min saved

Congress Seeks Warrant-Only Access for FBI in Domestic Surveillance

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduces the Government Surveillance Reform Act of 2026 to require warrants before the FBI can read Americans’ messages swept up in foreign-targeted surveillance, repeal broad expansions of warrantless access, ban federal purchases of Americans’ data from data brokers, and curb reverse-targeting and related powers as Section 702 heads toward its April sunset, signaling a major push to rebalance national security needs with civil-liberties protections amid a shifting tech and surveillance landscape.

via WIRED|

#backdoor-search #data-brokers #politics

technology1 month ago•7 min saved

Hide and Seek: A Practical Guide to Checking If Your Home Address Is Online

Your home address can appear online more than you might realize. The article guides you to check exposure using Google’s Results About You tool, then search for your name with your city and specific address on Google, and review Whitepages for address associations and opt-out options. It also suggests auditing old emails and social media for address disclosures, then addressing listings on data-broker sites like Spokeo and Intelius (using their privacy/removal tools or California’s DROP tool). If needed, consider third-party removal services (Incogni, DeleteMe, PrivacyBee) to curb exposure. For deeper privacy, follow a full guide to wipe your address from the internet and review basic home-security practices.

via CNET|

#address #data-brokers #opt-out

technology1 month ago•11 min saved

Clean up your online footprint with Google's free privacy tool

Google’s free tool Results About You lets users request removal of personal details from Google search results, reducing visibility of address, phone and more in search, but it doesn’t erase data from the wider web. It’s easy to use via a hub or the three-dot menu, and can flag sensitive items (including SSNs in the US). Exemptions apply (government and news sites). For deeper privacy, contact data brokers or use tools like California’s Drop; data can still exist on other sites. More than 10 million people have used Results About You since 2022, a small fraction of Google’s 1.8 billion accounts.

via BBC|

#data-brokers #data-removal #google

technology3 months ago•7 min saved

California launches new website to help residents block and delete personal data from brokers

California has launched a new online tool called DROP that allows residents to request the deletion and stopping of sale of their personal data from data brokers, streamlining the process by sending bulk requests to all registered brokers at once, with detailed instructions on how to provide additional identification like mobile advertising IDs for more thorough data removal.

via CalMatters|

#california #data-brokers #drop

privacy-and-data-protection3 months ago•2 min saved

California's DROP Program Empowers Residents to Control Personal Data and Enhance Privacy

California has launched the Drop platform, a government tool allowing residents to request the deletion of their personal data from 500 data brokers, aiming to give Californians more control over their information and reduce unwanted communications, as part of the state's new privacy law, the Delete Act.

via The Guardian|

#california #data-brokers #drop-platform

technology3 months ago•1 min saved

California's DROP Tool Empowers Residents to Delete Personal Data from Brokers

California's new DROP platform allows residents to request the deletion of their personal data from over 500 data brokers, helping to prevent their information from being sold, with requests processed starting August 2026.

via ABC7 Los Angeles|

#california #data-brokers #data-privacy

technology1 year ago•3 min saved

FTC Cracks Down on Data Brokers for Selling Sensitive Location Info

The FTC has settled with data brokers Gravy Analytics and Mobilewalla over allegations of selling precise location data without consent, including sensitive locations like hospitals and protests. The companies agreed to delete improperly collected data and implement consent safeguards. This action highlights ongoing concerns about data privacy and the role of data brokers, with the FTC emphasizing privacy as a bipartisan issue. Concurrently, the CFPB proposed new rules to further protect personal data, underscoring a broader governmental push for stricter data privacy regulations.

via The Register|

#consumer-protection #data-brokers #data-privacy

privacy-and-security1 year ago•2 min saved

US Moves to Curb Data Brokers' Sale of Sensitive Personal Information

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is proposing a rule to limit data brokers from selling sensitive personal and financial information, such as Social Security numbers, by classifying them as consumer reporting agencies under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This move follows major data breaches and aims to protect consumer privacy by requiring explicit consent for data sharing. The rule targets private companies, not government operations, and is open for public comment until March 2025, though potential political changes could impact its implementation.

via The Verge|

#cfpb #data-brokers #fcra

technology2 years ago•6 min saved

"DuckDuckGo Introduces $10 Privacy Pro Plan with VPN and Data Protection"

DuckDuckGo, known for its privacy-focused web search and browser, is launching a new tool that automatically scans data broker websites for personal information and requests its removal without users having to submit their details. This tool is part of DuckDuckGo's first subscription service, Privacy Pro, which also includes a VPN and an identity-theft-restoration service. The company's CEO, Gabriel Weinberg, emphasizes the need to address the data broker industry, a $200-plus billion market that collects and sells personal information. Additionally, DuckDuckGo's VPN, built in-house and using the WireGuard protocol, does not store any logs of users' activities and is undergoing a third-party audit for transparency.

via WIRED|

#data-brokers #duckduckgo #online-tracking

technology2 years ago•4 min saved

"Digital Ghosting: A Step-by-Step Guide to Erasing Your Online Presence"

In 2024, with the increasing presence of AI and the potential for privacy invasion, it's important to protect personal information online. Steps to remove oneself from the internet include requesting removal of sensitive webpages from Google search results, adjusting social media privacy settings, and dealing with data brokers who profit from personal details. Incogni, a service by Surfshark, offers assistance in removing personal information from data brokers and provides a 55% discount on an annual plan with the code "9to5Google."

via 9to5Google|

#data-brokers #google-search #incogni

technology2 years ago•2 min saved

"Mastering Digital Privacy: A Guide to Erasing Your Online Presence"

Protecting your online privacy involves locating and requesting the removal of personal information from websites and data brokers. Data brokers collect and sell personal data, which can lead to unwanted spam calls, affect loan eligibility, and influence insurance rates. Incogni, a data-erasing service by cybersecurity Surfshark, streamlines the removal process from data companies and people search sites, offering efficient and continuous privacy protection. It sends opt-out requests and handles rejection appeals, restarting the process every few months to keep data out of circulation. 9to5Mac readers can get 55% off Incogni’s annual plans with a special code, and the service comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

via 9to5Mac|

#cybersecurity #data-brokers #data-protection

politics-technology2 years ago•4 min saved

"White House Executive Order Protects Americans' Sensitive Data from Foreign Adversaries"

President Biden signs an executive order to protect Americans' personal data from foreign adversaries like China and Russia, targeting commercial data brokers that traffic in personal data. The order aims to prevent the large-scale transfer of Americans' personal data to "countries of concern" and establish safeguards without limiting legitimate commerce around data. The Department of Justice will issue regulations to establish protections for Americans' sensitive personal data, including geolocation information on sensitive government sites and members of the military. The move follows Biden's previous executive order on artificial intelligence and seeks to balance technology development with national security and consumer rights.

via The Associated Press|

#biden #data-brokers #executive-order

politics2 years ago•2 min saved

"White House Executive Order Targets Sale of Americans' Personal Data to Foreign Powers"

President Biden is set to issue an executive order aimed at restricting foreign governments' ability to purchase sensitive personal data of Americans, such as health and geolocation information, due to national security concerns. The order will empower the Justice Department to regulate commercial transactions that pose a risk to national security and require better protection of sensitive government information, including data on US military members. The move comes in response to the growing threat of foreign powers buying Americans' personal data from data brokers, with a focus on countries like China and Russia.

via CNN|

#data-brokers #executive-order #foreign-powers

technology2 years ago•2 min saved

"Mozilla's Monitor Plus: Automatically Scrubbing Your Personal Data from the Web"

Mozilla has launched Monitor Plus, a service that automatically monitors "people search" sites and known data breaches for your information and handles the removal process. The Plus version costs $14 monthly or $108 annually, and aims to help users cleanse their details from data broker sites, typically taking 7 to 14 days for removal. This offering adds to Mozilla's suite of privacy-focused tools, including a VPN service and Relay, with potential for a bundled privacy-focused package in the future.

via Ars Technica|

#data-brokers #monitor-plus #mozilla

technology2 years ago•1 min saved

The Growing Trend of Grocery Stores as Data Brokers

Grocery stores are joining the ranks of data brokers by collecting and monetizing consumer data through loyalty programs, location tracking, app usage, and digital receipts. This shift to offline data acquisition has raised concerns about consumer privacy and control over personal information. A study found that a majority of Americans feel they have little control over what marketers can learn about them, leading to "data fatigue." The data broker market is projected to reach $545 billion by 2028. The U.S. government is now taking steps to address these privacy concerns.

via CNBC|

#consumer-privacy #data-brokers #data-collection