Data brokerage describes the process of collecting information from open records, federal court records, and loyalty card programs. Typically, in most cases, brokers tend to craft profiles for individuals with the intent of marketing and later selling to business persons who aim at targeting their advertisements and special offers. Harrison, Newholm and Shaw (2005) explained that company’s advertisements become more successful when they have more information about ethical consumers of their products and services.
According to Ross (2016) , data broker industries are restricted from sharing information about consumers in creating profiles. However, Acxiom, a data broker with the aim of providing transparency has fashioned Aboutthedata.com website. The principal objective of the site entails allowing customers to register, access information gathered about them and correct erroneous data. However, columnists suggest that the site is an additional method that companies are using to collect consumers data without the client’s consent. On the other hand, most politicians and regulators have made data brokering the subject of several investigations since some of its practitioners have become wicked and persistent. Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm was accused of harvesting customer’s raw data on Facebook without first seeking consent ( Cadwalladr & Graham-Harrison, 2018) . The move amounted to unethical practice. Though some data brokers are unethical, there are other data brokers who function in ethical ways, thus making consumers contented.
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According to Brill (2014) , the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) legal advisor called for transparency from data broker businesses that operate unethically by obtaining data from social media. Although collected consumer data benefits companies, the downsides tend to outweigh benefits such as privacy, security, and profiling. This study’s recommendation to companies include an initiative by such outfits to alert consumers when collecting their data. In that case, willing consumers would provide companies with required information. Last, such consumer’s information benefits a government dedicated to satisfying people’s interest in making decisions. Such decisions might be on security matters or public development.
References
Brill, J. (2014). Data brokers: A call for transparency and accountability . Washington, DC: U.S. FTC.
Cadwalladr, C., & Graham-Harrison, E. (2018). Revealed: 50 million Facebook profiles harvested for Cambridge Analytica in major data breach. The Guardian , 17 .
Harrison, R., Newholm, T., & Shaw, D. (2005). The ethical consumer . London: SAGE.
Ross, A. (2016). The Industries of Data Brokers . Simon & Schuster 1230 Avenue of Americas: New York.
