This Black Friday, the hottest deal might be your data

This Black Friday, many people will comb the internet in search of limited deals and holiday presents. But one of the hottest products on sale this black Friday isn’t something you buy at Amazon. It’s the treasure trove of data that consumers leave behind each time they browse the internet, data about spending habits, gender, location, etc. 

All that data is worth billions of dollars, and the internet user doesn’t get any say in how his or her data is used. 

How data brokers get your Black Friday data

As you shop on Black Friday, websites will record your account’s every click. But even sites where you don’t have an account can still track your browsing history using bits of code called “cookies.” 

The amount of data being taken from consumers is mind-boggling. A recent report found that one broker had about 3,000 data points on nearly every internet user in America. 

What data brokers do with your data

Some users might not mind the idea of being tracked online. After all, targeted ads can be convenient and lots of people don’t feel like they have anything to hide. But there’s a dark side to the data market. 

Scammers love to use consumer data in order to make their deceptions more convincing. In 2022, three data brokers were caught knowingly selling scammers the data of more than 30 million Americans. The brokers then helped the scammers identify elderly Americans who might be vulnerable to exploitation. 

Even legitimate businesses can use data for unwelcome purposes. Targeted ads might seem convenient, but they can also trap internet users in harmful patterns of consumption. People struggling with addictions could get recurring beer and alcohol ads, or those struggling to pay bills might be bombarded with promotions from profiteering moneylenders. 

Internet users have no control over any of these transactions. The more data, like passwords, social security numbers, or personal details that a person has out on the internet, the easier it is for that data to be stolen, leaked or sold. 

Let’s make our data “out of stock” for data brokers

The big problem with the online data market is that it’s completely unregulated. The main relevant privacy law, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, passed in 1970, before the internet was more than a twinkle in a few tech whizzes’ eyes. 

Fortunately, there are ways we can update privacy for the 21st century. The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) has a proven record helping consumers be it with unfair loans, junk fees, or other exploitative practices. 

Now, we want to encourage the CFBP to stop companies from collecting unnecessary data about Americans and using it however they like.

Take a minute to join us in action to stop our data from being the biggest seller this holiday season.

Tell the CFBP: Protect our data from being bought and sold.