Tag

Data Brokers

All articles tagged with #data brokers

business3 days ago•2 min saved

FTC Slaps Nearly $1 Million on Marketers for False Voice-Data Targeting Claim

The FTC charged Cox Media Group and partners MindSift and 1010 Digital Works with misleading customers about an ‘Active Listening’ ad service that supposedly used voice data from devices to target ads; the service did not actually listen but relied on data broker lists, and claimed consumers opted in through terms of service. The settlement requires Cox to pay $880,000 and MindSift and 1010 Digital Works $25,000 each, with refunds to affected customers. The case underscores the need for truthful advertising and proper consumer consent.

via Gizmodo|

#advertising #business #data-brokers

business15 days ago•2 min saved

GM settles California data-sharing case, pays $12.75M and halts driving-data sales

General Motors agreed to pay $12.75 million to California prosecutors to settle claims it sold driving data (names, contacts, geolocation, and driving behavior) of hundreds of thousands of Californians to data brokers like Verisk Analytics and LexisNexis. GM will stop selling driving data to consumer reporting agencies for five years, delete existing data within 180 days unless drivers permit retention, and build a privacy program to assess data practices. The AG noted drivers were not directly impacted under California law, and GM still profited about $20 million from OnStar data despite the settlement.

via Mashable|

#business #california #data-brokers

politics1 month ago•17 min saved

Wyden pushes for privacy guardrails ahead of FISA renewal

Sen. Ron Wyden urged Democrats to reject a clean renewal of Section 702 and push for guardrails to curb AI-enabled mass surveillance, including warrants for data broker purchases and closing loopholes that let the government target Americans; he also called for declassifying a FISA Court ruling on compliance problems as House Republicans and the White House negotiate amendments before the looming expiration.

via Politico|

#ai-surveillance #data-brokers #fisa

politics1 month ago•14 min saved

AI-Driven Data Scraping Intensifies FISA Renewal Battle

AI is accelerating government access to Americans’ private data via data brokers, fueling bipartisan calls for warrants and stronger privacy guardrails as lawmakers debate an 18-month clean reauthorization of Section 702; Trump and House Republicans seek to pass the renewal without changes, while negotiations and ongoing concerns about mass surveillance continue on Capitol Hill.

via Politico|

#ai #data-brokers #fisa-702

politics2 months 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

technology2 months 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

technology2 months 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

technology4 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-protection4 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

technology4 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