How important is your personal data security?
The sharing and selling of your personal data is a multi billion dollar industry.
Big Data is all about searching through lots of small pieces of data to form an overall picture. That is how Google and Amazon display ads on your computer related to what you might be interested in buying.
If you are a recently bought dypers from Walmart or another big store and you name and address are registered with them you will almost certainly receive offers through the post for other baby products and related services including offers from companies that want you to take out life insurance or start education funds for your new child.
The Federal Trade Commission feel it is time you had much more control over what data is held about you and what these companies can do with it.
On Wednesday 27 May 2014 the FTC said
“FTC Recommends Congress Require the Data Broker Industry to be More Transparent and Give Consumers Greater Control Over Their Personal Information”
“The extent of consumer profiling today means that data brokers often know as much – or even more – about us than our family and friends, including our online and in-store purchases, our political and religious affiliations, our income and socioeconomic status, and more,” said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “It’s time to bring transparency and accountability to bear on this industry on behalf of consumers, many of whom are unaware that data brokers even exist.”
You can read the full report at FTC.gov
