如果我告诉你，市场上有一些大公司的名字你还没有听说过，但他们非常了解你，事实上，比你想象的还要多。
他们被称为数据经纪人(Data Brokers)，他们的工作是收集各种信息，包括您的姓名、地址、工作地点、爱好、兴趣、家庭以及您在网上做的事情。您会惊讶地发现，这种数据收集行业的大部分已经存在了几十年。今天，改变的是从Internet中提取的数据的数量和性质。首先(First)，它只是个人电脑(PC)和笔记本电脑，现在(Laptops)智能手机(smartphones)等手持设备已成为所有数据代理公司的目标。
那么，数据经纪人如何收集信息呢？公司如何处理在线用户数据？他们如何从中赚钱？这篇文章来看看它。(So, how do Data Brokers collect information? What do companies do with online user data? How do they make money from it? This post takes a look at it.)
为什么公司要收集、出售、购买、存储个人在线数据？
公司收集您的数据以建立您的个人资料，可用于向您推送目标产品和服务。现在这已成为一项大生意，因为客户愿意为此类数据支付大量资金，这可以帮助他们瞄准特定的市场细分市场。
数据经纪人(Data Brokers)向企业出售数据
价值数十亿美元的数据经纪人行业出现了前所未有的增长，该行业在几乎没有监督的情况下在低谷中运营。
数据(Data)经纪人收集、分析和打包您的一些最敏感的个人信息，并将其作为商品出售给企业、广告商、其他数据经纪人甚至政府，而不让他们知道。
数据经纪人(Data Brokers)收集的信息包括：
- 姓名、年龄和性别
- 现在和以前的地址
- 手机号码
- 电子邮件地址
- 婚姻状况
- 儿童年龄
- 财产所有权
- 政治偏好
- 收入详情
- 教育细节和更多
数据收集的范围可以扩展到监控重要的生活事件，如婚姻、婴儿、关系状态、离婚等。
数据经纪人(Data Brokers)如何收集您的个人信息
数据(Data)经纪人可以被称为网络上的专业公司。为了收集有关用户的信息并投放相关广告，他们托管了许多第三方来观察谁访问了该网站并建立了有关他们的数字档案。
您可能会争辩说，当您从一个站点遍历到另一个站点时，如何跟踪您的 Web 移动。数据(Data)经纪人应用Cookie、网络信标、电子标签等工具和各种其他工具。广泛用于台式计算机的Cookie(Cookies)是放置在用户浏览器上的一小段代码。网络信标(Web beacon)是放置在网站或电子邮件中的小型透明图形图像，用于监控用户的浏览或发送电子邮件行为
使用上述监控技术，他们总结了您访问过哪些网站的用户、您购买了哪些商品、您可能在什么时间购物等等。
1]匿名(Anonymous)数据集可以去匿名化
随着更多信息附加到 cookie 和设备上，识别用户变得更加容易。有了必要的信息，匿名数据集就可以去匿名化。研究人员表示，仅两个数据点就足以识别一半以上的用户。因此(Hence)，数据经纪人也很容易附上其他个人详细信息，例如您的收入、您家的大小、孩子的数量、财产类型——出租或拥有。
2]数据(Data)代理的其他信息来源
以政府(Government)记录和其他公开可用信息的形式容易获得的信息是数据经纪人(Data Brokers)的其他数据馈送来源。例如，机动车辆部门可能会将您的姓名、地址、车辆类型等信息出售给数据公司，但仅限于某些允许的目的，包括身份验证。
同样，公开的投票记录（包括有关您的政党登记和投票频率的信息）也可以有限制地买卖，并且仅限于某些第三方。
3]从您的智能手机
您乐意在手机上安装的大多数免费智能手机应用程序都要求获得访问您的地址簿或其他文件夹的权限。由于我们渴望使用该应用程序，因此我们迅速而愉快地提供了它。这就是应用程序访问您的数据并窃取您的联系方式等的方式。
最新的例子是流行的Sarahah 应用程序(Sarahah app)，它可以上传你的整个通讯录——开发者已经接受了这个事实！
非常规数据经纪人
非常规数据(Data)经纪人是那些不从事数据收集业务的实体，但他们的核心业务是他们可以访问价值数十亿美元的数据。
看一看：
1] 银行
我们的大部分敏感财务信息都与我们交易的银行共享。在使用他们的银行服务时，我们必须共享信息，包括：
- 社会安全号码
- 账户(Account)余额和交易历史(Transaction History)
- 信用记录(Credit History)和投资(Investment)经验
- 家庭和办公室地址
- 与工作、电子邮件、电话号码等相关的信息
尽管银行必须遵守消费者隐私政策(Consumer Privacy Policy)，这要求他们通知用户有关数据收集和使用的信息，并允许这些用户选择退出，但还是存在绕过流程的漏洞。
在第三方审计和信用检查期间，大部分用户财务信息都与第三方共享，有效地将您的银行变成了数据经纪人。银行还与公司共享客户的数据点，以进行营销/改善客户服务体验。
2]社交网站
如果某些东西是免费的，并且只有在您交出您的个人信息后才会受到欢迎，则需要付出一定的代价。免费电子邮件、免费操作系统、与朋友和家人联系的免费应用程序以及免费搜索，所有这些都带有数据泄露。
(Social)当您注册并花时间浏览时， Facebook(Facebook)和Twitter等(Twitter)社交网站会收集大量个人信息，包括年龄、朋友和兴趣。许多信息是在您不知情的情况下收集的。例如，大多数网站都嵌入了Facebook的“Like”和Twitter的“Tweet”按钮，以便访问者喜欢/关注他们的页面，这些按钮带有一个代码，允许社交网络公司跟踪用户的动作，即使他们这样做了不要点击那些按钮。
到目前为止，谷歌(Google)是排名第一的搜索引擎，它的其他免费服务，如Gmail、谷歌地图(Google Maps)，在业内名列前茅和最受欢迎的。但是，为了交换Google(Google)提供的免费服务，需要进行权衡。这家搜索(Search)巨头收集了您的许多个人信息，以提供个性化、有针对性的广告体验。
Google会收集您的姓名、电子邮件地址、电话号码、信用卡信息、您的使用模式、您与使用 AdWords 和其他Google技术的其他网站的通信、您的设备信息、搜索查询等，以了解更多关于您的信息。谷歌(Google)通过Chrome还通过本地浏览器存储将信息存储在您的浏览器中，以了解您的偏好。
当您注册并花时间浏览时， Facebook(Facebook)和Twitter等社交网站会收集大量个人信息，包括年龄、朋友和兴趣。许多信息是在您不知情的情况下收集的。例如，Facebook 的“Like”和 Twitter 的“Tweet”按钮，大多数网站为了让访问者喜欢/关注他们的页面而嵌入了一个代码，该代码允许社交网络公司跟踪用户的动作，即使他们没有点击这些按钮.
消费者(Consumer)数据收集公司Datalogix与(Datalogix)Facebook签订了一项协议，以跟踪看到某些产品广告的Facebook用户是否最终会在当地商店购买这些产品。
微软(Microsoft)不得不一次又一次地站出来为自己收集的信息辩护。该公司清楚地说明了它收集的内容，其中包括姓名、联系(Contact)信息、登录(Login)凭据、人口统计(Demographic)数据、支付(Payment)凭据等。
与它的隐私政策相反，它说它会阅读所有内容，该公司表示它不阅读电子邮件的文本，而只阅读行和正文。值得庆幸的是，它不会利用收集的数据积极销售广告。
阅读(Read)：如何使您的 Google 搜索(depersonalize your Google search)去个性化并摆脱过滤器泡沫。
数据(Data)经纪人行业发展迅速
根据一份报告(report)，2012 年的估计(Figure)数字显示，数据经纪人行业创造$156 billion in revenues美国(United) 政府(States)整个情报预算规模的两倍多”。所以你可以想象2017年这个市场的规模！
尽管欧洲(Europe)有许多活跃的数据经纪人，但从市场规模来看，欧洲数据经纪人的格局无法与美国市场相提并论。(European)Acxiom、LexisNexis等大型数据经纪商在欧洲(European)的收入仅占其总收入的一小部分。
Acxiom公司在纳斯达克上市(NASDAQ)，每年提供超过$1.1 billion的分析服务，并且只是美国众多其他公司之一。
阅读(Read)：什么是数据挖掘？(What is Data Mining?)
您可以采取的预防措施以防止窃取您的个人数据
可以说您的隐私被用来换取金钱吗？是的当然！请记住(Remember)，没有免费服务实际上是免费的。一些可以帮助您避免被数据经纪人挖走的方法是——匿名上网、不使用智能手机、永远不要在社交渠道上开设账户以及永远不要利用免费的网络(Web)服务——这可能是不可能的在当今时代！
尽管如此，您可以做的一些事情是 –使用 VPN 软件(use a VPN software)，经常清除您的Internet缓存和 cookie，或者更好地直到以隐身模式(Incognito mode)浏览，小心您在社交媒体上分享的内容并注意您“喜欢”的页面. 使用良好的安全软件来保护您的设备，并注意您在网上提供的信息。注意网络钓鱼电子邮件(Phishing emails)、社会工程(Social Engineering)和身份盗窃(Identity Theft)。
在可能的情况下选择退出跟踪或个性化广告。您可以调整Facebook 上的隐私设置，(privacy settings on Facebook)并阻止社交巨头跟踪您的活动。我们已经了解了如何在 Windows 11/10 中选择退出和停止个性化广告，以及如何在使用 Google 服务时选择退出和维护您的隐私。(opt-out and maintain your privacy when using Google Services.)
在安装软件或 iPhone 或Android应用程序期间，请始终注意您授予的权限。如果您已授予权限，则应检查您的设置并撤销权限(check your settings and revoke the permissions)。
But remember, whatever you do, you will still be tracked! There is nowhere to go, nowhere to hide…if you are online, rest assured that you have been profiled!
Why do companies collect, sell, buy or store personal data
What if I tell yoυ that therе are big companiеs out there in the market whose names you are yet to hear, but they know you very well, in fact, more than what you сan think of.
They are termed as Data Brokers, and their job is to collect all kinds of information that includes your name, address, place of work, hobbies, interests, family, and things that you do online. You will be surprised to know that much of this data collection trade has existed for decades. Today, what has changed is the volume and nature of the data being extracted from the Internet. First, it was just the PCs and Laptops, now handheld devices like smartphones have become the target of all data broker companies.
So, how do Data Brokers collect information? What do companies do with online user data? How do they make money from it? This post takes a look at it.
Why do companies collect, sell, buy, store personal online data?
Companies collect your data in order to build up your profile, which can be used to push you targetted products and services. This has become big business now as customers are willing to pay a lot of money for such data, which can help them target specific segments of the market.
Data Brokers sell data to Businesses
There has been an unprecedented growth of a multi-billion dollar industry of data brokers that operates in the glooms with virtually no oversight.
Data Brokers collect, analyze and package some of your most sensitive personal information and sell it as a commodity to businesses, advertisers, other data brokers, and even the government without letting them know.
Information collected by Data Brokers include-
- Name, Age, and Gender
- Present and previous Address
- Handphone numbers
- Email address
- Marital status
- Age of Children
- Property ownership
- Political preferences
- Income details
- Educational details and more
The extent of data collection can spread to monitoring important life events like marriage, baby, relationship status, getting a divorce and more.
How do Data Brokers collect your personal information
Data Brokers can be termed as specialist firms across the web. To gather information about users and throw up related ads, they host a slew of third parties that observe who comes to the site and build up a digital profile about them.
You may argue that how it is possible to track your web movement when you traverse from one site to another. Data brokers, apply tools such as Cookies, web beacons, e-tags and a variety of other tools. Cookies, widely used on desktop computers, are small pieces of code that are dropped on a user’s browser. A Web beacon is a small transparent graphic image that is placed on a website or in an email and used to monitor the browsing or email-sending behavior of the user
Using the above monitoring techniques, they summarize what sites users you have visited, what you have shopped for, what time you are likely to shop, and so on.
1] Anonymous data sets can be de-anonymized
As more information gets attached to cookies and devices, it becomes easier to identify users. With the necessary information, anonymous data sets can be de-anonymized. Researchers say that only two data points is enough to identify more than half the users. Hence, data brokers easily hitch other personal details too, such as your income, the size of your home, number of children, property type – rented or owned.
2] Other information sources for Data Brokers
Easily available information in the form of Government records and other publicly available information are other sources of data feeders for Data Brokers. For instance, the motor vehicles department may sell information like your name, address, your vehicle types to data companies, although only for certain permitted purposes, including identity verification.
Similarly, publicly available voting records, which include information about your party registration and how often you vote, can also be bought and sold with restrictions and only to some third-parties.
3] From your smartphone
Most free smartphone apps that you happily install on your phone ask for permission to access your address book or other folders. We quickly and happily give it, since we are eager to use the app. This is how the apps get access to your data and steal your contact details and more.
The latest example is the popular Sarahah app which uploads your entire address book – and the developer has accepted this as a fact!
Non-Conventional Data brokers
Non-Conventional Data brokers are those entities that are not into the data collection business, but their core business is such that they have access to data worth billions of dollars.
Take a look:
1] Banks
Much of our sensitive financial information is shared with banks we transact. When using their banking services, we are bound to share information that includes,
- Social Security number
- Account Balances and Transaction History
- Credit History and Investment Experience
- Home and office address
- Information related to a job, email, phone number, and more
Although Banks are required to comply with the Consumer Privacy Policy, which necessitates them to inform users about data collection and use and allow those users to opt-out of some, there are loop-holes to bypass the process.
During third party audits and credit checks, much of the user financial information is shared with third parties, effectively turning your bank into a data broker. Banks also shares their customer’s data points with companies for marketing / improving customer service experience.
2] Social websites
There is a price to pay if something comes as free and you are welcomed only after you hand over your personal information. Free email, free OS, free app to connect with friends and family and free search, all come with data compromise.
Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter collect heaps of personal information, including ages, friends, and interests, when you sign up and spend time browsing. Much of the information is collected without you being aware of it. For instance, Facebook’s “Like” and Twitter’s “Tweet” buttons which most websites embed in order to allow visitors like/follow their page carry a code that allows the social-networking companies to track users’ movements even if they do not click those buttons.
Google is by far the #1 search engine and its other free services like Gmail, Google Maps, rank among the best and most preferred in the industry. However, there is a trade-off in exchange of the free services that Google provides. A lot of your personal information is collected by the Search giant to dish out personalized, targeted ad experiences.
Your name, email address, telephone number, credit card information, your usage pattern, your communication with other websites using AdWords and other Google technologies, your device information, search queries, and more, is collected by Google to know more about you. Google through Chrome also stores information in your browser via local browser storage to know your preferences.
Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter collect heaps of personal information, including ages, friends, and interests, when you sign up and spend time browsing. Much of the information is collected without you being aware of it. For instance, Facebook’s “Like” and Twitter’s “Tweet” buttons which most websites embed in order to allow visitors like/follow their page carry a code that allows the social-networking companies to track users’ movements even if they do not click those buttons.
Consumer data collection company, Datalogix, entered into an agreement with Facebook, to track whether Facebook users who see ads for certain products actually end up buying them at local stores.
Microsoft had to come out time and again and defend itself on what information it collects. The company clearly spells out what it collects, which includes Name, Contact information, Login credentials, Demographic data, Payment credentials, and more.
Contrary to its privacy policy, which says that it reads everything, the company says that it does not read the text of the email, but only the line and body. Thankfully, it does not sell ads aggressively with the data it collects.
Read: How to depersonalize your Google search and free yourself from the filter bubble.
Data Brokers industry is growing rapidly
According to a report, the Figure estimated for the year 2012 reveals that the data broker industry generated $156 billion in revenues,” a sum that is “more than twice the size of the entire intelligence budget of the United States Government.” So you can imagine the size of this market today in 2017!
Although there are numerous data brokers active in Europe, the European data broker landscape is not comparable to the US market in terms of market size. The European revenues of large data brokers, such as Acxiom, LexisNexis, amount only to a fraction of their overall revenues.
The firm Acxiom, publicly traded on the NASDAQ, does more than $1.1 billion annually offering its analytical services and is only one of the many other companies in the US.
Read: What is Data Mining?
Precautions you can take to prevent stealing of your personal data
Is it safe to say that your privacy is traded for money? Yes of course! Remember, no free service is actually free. Some of the ways which help you avoid getting poached by data brokers are – surfing anonymously, not using a smartphone, never opening an account on the social channel and never taking advantage of a free Web service – and this is something that may not be possible in today’s times!
Nevertheless, a few things you could do are – use a VPN software, frequently clear your Internet cache & cookies or better till surf in the Incognito mode, be careful what you share on the social media and be aware of the pages you ‘Like’. Use a good security software to secure your device and be careful of what information you give out online. Be aware of Phishing emails, Social Engineering and Identity Theft.
Where possible opt out of tracking or personalized ads. You can adjust the privacy settings on Facebook and stop the social giant to track your activities. We have seen how to opt-out of and Stop Personalized ads in Windows 11/10 and how to opt-out and maintain your privacy when using Google Services.
During the installation of a software or an iPhone or an Android app, always be careful of the permissions you give. If you have given permission, you should check your settings and revoke the permissions.
But remember, whatever you do, you will still be tracked! There is nowhere to go, nowhere to hide…if you are online, rest assured that you have been profiled!
