What Data Brokers Know About You
Data brokers collect, package, and sell personal information about millions of Americans. Here's what they typically know and how it affects you.
Important: No service can guarantee complete removal of personal information from the internet. Opt-out processes and timelines vary by source.
Types of data collected
Data brokers may have your full name, addresses (current and past), phone numbers, email addresses, age, family members, employment history, education, property records, court records, purchasing behavior, and social media profiles.
How they get your data
Sources include public records (property, voter, court), commercial transactions, loyalty programs, social media, phone directories, and other data brokers. Much of this data is technically public, but aggregation creates a detailed profile.
People-search vs. marketing brokers
People-search sites (like Spokeo, Whitepages) let anyone search for you by name. Marketing data brokers (like Acxiom) sell your data to advertisers. Both pose privacy risks, but removal processes differ.
Your rights
California's CCPA gives residents the right to know what data is collected and request its deletion. Other states are passing similar laws. DeleteMyTrace helps you exercise these rights across dozens of sources.
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