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Fox News
30-06-2025
- Health
- Fox News
9 online privacy risks you probably don't know about
Print Close By Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report Published June 30, 2025 Privacy risks are hiding in plain sight, as your personal data is likely being collected, tracked, and sold without your knowledge. It's not just your name and email out there-data brokers are gathering much more sensitive information about your daily life, including your sleep patterns, medical visits, online habits, and even your relationship status. These details are compiled into detailed personal profiles and sold to advertisers, insurance companies, political campaigns, and in some cases, cybercriminals. What makes this especially concerning is that most of it happens quietly in the background, often without your consent. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join. 9 personal details you are sharing online without realizing it You may think you're protecting your privacy, but chances are you're revealing more than you think through your everyday digital activity. 1) How sleep and fitness data is collected and sold Fitness trackers, bedtime apps, and even your phone's settings feed data brokers info about when you sleep, wake, and work out. That's highly sensitive health data. A recent data leak exposed over 8 million patient records , allowing cybercriminals to build detailed medical profiles that could be used to commit identity theft, insurance fraud, and conduct phishing attacks . Recent research reveals that over 28% of Americans had their SSN breached since 2020, exposing them to increased risk of experiencing cyberattacks. YOUR HEALTH DATA IS BEING SOLD WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT 2) Your streaming habits are being tracked Every time you binge a show or stream a documentary, your smart TV, streaming apps, and browser record exactly what you're watching, when you watch it, and how long you stay tuned in. This data helps build a behavioral profile of your tastes, routines, and emotional triggers. It's not just used for harmless recommendations; advertisers and data brokers tap into this to predict your mood, interests, and even potential vulnerabilities. Ever wonder why oddly specific ads start showing up after a documentary binge? This is why. 3) How long you read articles can be used to profile you It's not just the articles you click, it's how long you linger on them that matters. Data brokers monitor whether you skim or dive deep into topics like health scares, financial worries, or personal relationships. The time you spend on certain pages helps them identify your fears, desires, and private interests. This insight can later be used for hyper-targeted ads or, worse, by malicious actors looking to exploit your anxieties. 16 BILLION PASSWORDS LEAKED IN MASSIVE DATA BREACH 4) How data brokers infer your relationship status You might keep your relationship off social media, but your online footprint gives you away. Your purchase history, social check-ins, and frequent location visits tell data brokers whether you're single, dating, engaged, or married. They can even infer relationship trouble by analyzing certain patterns, like increased visits to bars or late-night takeout orders. This deeply personal information can end up in a detailed profile on some sketchy website you've never heard about . 5) Your location data may reveal medical visits Your phone's location data doesn't just map your commute; it tracks visits to places like fertility clinics, addiction centers, and therapists' offices. That data gets sold to brokers who categorize you based on these visits, sometimes flagging you for health-related concerns you haven't publicly shared. One study found that 74% of health-related data was sold without users' knowledge or consent. This information could be used to hike insurance rates, deny you payouts, or target you with sensitive, intrusive ads. 6) Home value and crime stats used to target you Public records make it easy for data brokers to access your home's value, tax history, and neighborhood crime rates. These are used to target you with aggressive refinancing offers, alarm system ads, or moving service promotions. Scammers also use this data to profile households they think are vulnerable based on property values or crime rates. The result is an increased flood of junk mail, spam calls, targeted online ads you never asked for, or worse, like physical safety risks. 7) Data brokers know who you live with By monitoring Wi-Fi connections, shared deliveries, smart home devices, and online purchase patterns, data brokers can determine exactly how many people live in your home. They often build profiles on your family members too—even if they've never created an online account themselves. This allows advertisers to tailor ads to your household, making your family's online activities part of your digital profile. It's invasive, and most people have no idea it's happening. 8) Your political views can be tracked through online behavior Even if you keep politics off your social media feeds, your browsing history tells a different story. The news articles you read, political newsletters you subscribe to, and nonprofits you donate to all get tracked. Data brokers use this to place you on lists of likely voters for certain parties or causes. This can lead to politically targeted ads , donation requests, and even manipulation attempts around election seasons, all without your explicit permission. 10 SIGNS YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS BEING SOLD ONLINE 9) Life milestones are tracked before you announce them The internet picks up on your major life milestones long before you announce them. If you start browsing for engagement rings, baby gear, or moving boxes, data brokers immediately flag those behaviors. This triggers waves of ads and marketing campaigns designed to capitalize on your upcoming life changes. In many cases, you'll start seeing offers and promotions months before you tell your closest friends or family members. How to find out which data brokers have your information and remove it While no service can completely erase every trace of your data online, using a trusted data removal service is one of the most effective steps you can take. These services actively monitor and submit removal requests to hundreds of data broker websites, saving you hours of tedious work. It is not cheap, but when it comes to protecting your personal privacy, the cost is worth it. Reducing the amount of exposed data tied to your name lowers your risk of being targeted by scammers who often combine breached data with what they find online. If you are ready to take control of your personal information, start with my top picks for data removal services. Check out my top picks for data removal services here . Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web Kurt's key takeaways Your online activity reveals more than you think, and you do not need to overshare on social media for your data to end up in the wrong hands. Everything from your location history to your streaming habits can be tracked, sold, and used to build a profile on you. That profile can be used by advertisers, data brokers, political groups, or even cybercriminals. The good news is that you can push back. Being aware of what you are sharing is the first step. Second, using a trusted data removal service can make a real difference. You do not need to be paranoid, but you do need to be proactive. Taking control of your digital footprint is one of the smartest things you can do to protect your privacy in today's hyper-connected world. Do you think more needs to be done to stop companies from being allowed to know everything about you while you're left in the dark? Let us know by writing us at . For more of my tech tips & security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to . Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to cover . Follow Kurt on his social channels Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Print Close URL
The Verge
25-06-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Hundreds of data brokers might be breaking state laws, say privacy advocates
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and a nonprofit privacy rights group have called on several states to investigate why 'hundreds' of data brokers haven't registered with state consumer protection agencies in accordance with local laws. An analysis done in collaboration with Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) found that many data brokers have failed to register in all of the four states with laws that require it, preventing consumers in some states from learning what kinds of information these brokers collect and how to opt out. These findings could be explained by variations in the definition of a data broker, but they may indicate some brokers are breaking the law. Data brokers are companies that collect and sell troves of personal information about people, including their names, addresses, phone numbers, financial information, and more. Consumers have little control over this information, posing serious privacy concerns, and attempts to address these concerns at a federal level have mostly failed. Last month, LexisNexis Risk Solutions disclosed a data breach that may have revealed the names, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and contact information for over 364,000 people. Four states — California, Texas, Oregon, and Vermont — do attempt to regulate these companies by requiring them to register with consumer protection agencies and share details about what kind of data they collect. Consumers in California, for example, can use the online database to search for different data brokers registered in the state, see contact information, and find steps on how to opt out of data collection. Meanwhile, in Texas, data brokers must follow certain security measures designed to protect consumers' information. In letters to the states' attorneys general, the EFF and PRC say they 'uncovered a troubling pattern' after scraping data broker registries in California, Texas, Oregon, and Vermont. They found that many data brokers didn't consistently register their businesses across all four states. The number of data brokers that appeared on one registry but not another includes 524 in Texas, 475 in Oregon, 309 in Vermont, and 291 in California. As noted by the EFF, differences in how each state defines a data broker could explain some of these discrepancies. It's also possible some brokers don't collect data from people in all these states — although the industry typically casts a wide net. Conversely, the EFF also says this analysis wouldn't include the data brokers that 'disregard state laws by failing to register in any state.' The EFF and PRC suggest that California, Texas, Oregon, and Vermont look into the companies that failed to register across other states, writing that their findings 'could indicate a systematic failure of compliance' in each state. They add that an investigation and enforcement actions could 'send a powerful signal' regarding a state's commitment to privacy. For now, state-level regulation is Americans' main source of protection against data brokers. Last year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) aimed to clamp down on the industry with a rule that would ban brokers from selling your Social Security number, but the Donald Trump-appointed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later scrapped these plans.
Fox News
18-06-2025
- Fox News
10 signs your personal data is being sold online
Your personal data is probably being sold right now. Scam calls, junk emails, and weird login alerts aren't random. They're warning signs that your information is being circulated through data brokers, often without your knowledge or consent. Major breaches, like the recent Adidas hack, have exposed millions of names, emails, phone numbers, and home addresses. Once this data is leaked, it's fed into a vast marketplace of data brokers who package, sell, and resell your information to advertisers, spammers, scammers and even cybercriminals. Think it hasn't happened to you? Here are 10 red flags that your data is already out there and the steps you can take to stop it from spreading further. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join. If your personal information appears on people-finder sites or in sketchy online databases, it stays there until you remove it. This means your full name, home address, email, and phone number are available to anyone, including scammers and stalkers. You can manually opt out of each site, but that takes time and patience. Instead, consider an automated privacy service that scans data broker sites and sends removal requests on your behalf. The less data floating around, the less likely it is to be misused. If any of these are happening to you, your data is likely already floating around the broker and scammer economy. Here's what to watch for: If your inbox is overflowing with shady product offers, sketchy promotions, or strange marketing emails you never signed up for, it's a good bet your email address has been sold. This kind of spam typically results from your address being added to mass marketing lists purchased in bulk. More calls than usual from unknown numbers? Telemarketers, fake IRS agents, and car warranty scammers often use brokered phone lists. If you're getting several calls a day, it likely means your number is being recycled by different call centers and fraud operations. Unfamiliar password-reset prompts are a sign someone is attempting to access your account. They may have found your email address and other leaked credentials and are now probing for weak points. It's a key signal that your digital footprint is being exploited. Tiny charges can be a test by cybercriminals to see if stolen card info works. If even one unrecognized charge shows up, it's critical to act fast. These small transactions often lead to bigger, more damaging fraud if ignored. Losing access to your email, bank, or social media accounts may mean hackers have already reset your passwords. With enough personal data, criminals can bypass security questions and fully take over your identity online. If your contacts report strange DMs, fake money requests, or odd links coming from your accounts, that's a strong sign someone else has gained access. Cybercriminals use this tactic to trick your friends into clicking dangerous links or handing over money. A wave of fake profiles suddenly following or messaging you is more than annoying; it could be a coordinated attempt to gather more information about you or impersonate you later. These accounts may also be bots programmed to phish for details or direct you to scam pages. If your name, email, or phone number shows up on a form before you even touch the keyboard, that website may have purchased your information. Some sites share consumer data with partners, and this pre-fill behavior can indicate that your data is being sold and shared. Sites like Spokeo or Whitepages can display your full name, home address, phone number, family members, and more often scraped from public records or sold by data brokers. This makes you a target for identity theft, scams, and unwanted contact. Rejections for loans, insurance, or rental applications can stem from inaccurate or outdated data in broker databases. If your reputation or credit score is being shaped by information you didn't even know existed, that's a clear signal that your data is out of your hands. Noticing just a few of these signs means it's time to take action. The more proactive you are, the better you can limit future damage and prevent your data from spreading further. 1. Invest in a personal data removal service: Personal data removal services can request that your information be taken down from hundreds of data broker sites. It's an effective way to remove your name from public listings and stop new profiles from popping up. While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren't cheap and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It's what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you. Check out my top picks for data removal services here. Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web. 2. Strengthen your passwords: Use long, unique passwords that are different for every account. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 here. 3. Turn on two-factor authentication: Adding a second step to your login process, like a text code or app confirmation, can stop hackers even if they know your password. Turn this on for email, banking, and any service that stores your sensitive info. 4. Monitor your financial accounts regularly: Check your bank and credit card statements every few days. Set up alerts for any activity, and if you're not actively applying for credit, consider freezing your credit reports with all three bureaus. 5. Use alias email addresses: Create separate email addresses for things like online shopping, sign-ups, and banking. This helps keep your primary inbox private and makes it easier to trace which services may be leaking or selling your information. If one alias starts receiving junk mail or suspicious messages, you can simply delete it without affecting your main account. It's one of the simplest ways to reduce spam and protect your digital identity. See my review of the best secure and private email services here. 6. Don't click suspicious links or attachments, and use strong antivirus software: Phishing attempts often look convincing, especially if scammers already know your name or other details. If something feels off, delete the message and go directly to the website instead of clicking the link. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices. 7. Be cautious about what you post publicly: Avoid sharing your birthday, hometown, full name, or photos of your home or license plates. Social media platforms are heavily scraped by bots and bad actors looking to compile detailed profiles. 8. Block robocalls and filter scam numbers: A surge in robocalls is a strong sign your phone number is being sold or shared by data brokers. These calls often come from spoofed or international numbers and may include fake IRS agents, tech support scams, or phony insurance offers. To fight back, enable your phone carrier's spam call protection (AT&T ActiveArmor, Verizon Call Filter, or T-Mobile Scam Shield). You can also use third-party apps like RoboKiller, Hiya, or Truecaller to screen calls, block known scam numbers, and report suspicious callers. Be sure to avoid answering unknown calls, even pressing a button to "opt out" can confirm your number is active and lead to more spam. Check out how to get rid of robocalls with apps and data removal services. Your personal data is valuable, and once it's out there, it's difficult, sometimes impossible, to claw it back. But you're not powerless. The more proactive you are, the safer you'll be. Start by cleaning up your digital footprint and removing your information from people finder and data broker sites. Whether you go manual or use a trusted service, acting now can help you avoid bigger problems later. Protect your privacy, defend your accounts, and stay one step ahead of the scammers. Should data brokers be required to get your permission before collecting and selling your personal information? Let us know by writing to us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Follow Kurt on his social channels: Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
CBC
09-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Medical data for sale?
Your medical records could be for sale without you knowing. Coming up, we'll look at a study that uncovered a complex reciprocal relationship between data brokers and primary care clinics, where patient data was being sold and harvested by pharmaceutical companies for potential customers.
