A data broker, data brokerage, or information broker is a company that makes money from personal data. Because of the value of your personal information, the data brokerage industry is highly lucrative to both the seller and the buyer.
Information data brokers collect data sets (information about you) from different sources and sell the data to other people or businesses. Usually, the data is personal information or sensitive information about consumers, often found through public records. Since data may provide value for organizations (like a marketing company which may use it in targeted advertising) it can be a profitable venture.
Companies make informed decisions based on your data. For example, when you apply for a credit card, the card issuer usually reviews your credit report. A credit report is a consumer report produced by a credit reporting agency—one type of data broker.

What are Data Brokers and How to Protect Your Personal Information?
4 min read
Last Updated: August 30, 2024
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