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Your personal data is a highly valuable commodity. Companies often treat it like a resource to be mined and traded. In practice, this means that everything you do on the Internet, what you search, what you click, where you shop, feeds a vast industry. Many people feel they have little control over this.
In fact, a Pew Research survey found that roughly six in ten Americans say it’s not possible to go through daily life without having data collected about them. We may use “free” services, but we usually pay in data. As the U.S. Federal Trade Commission explains, “The things we do throughout the course of our day give businesses access to information about our habits, tastes, and activities. Some might use it to deliver targeted ads to you… Others might sell or share that information”.
Let’s examine how your data is collected in everyday life, who is buying and selling it, what happens to it afterward, and, most importantly, what you can do to protect yourself.
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How does your data get collected
Almost everything we do online or even offline can generate data. Here are some common sources:
1) Social media platforms: Social networks like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter collect a wide array of data from your posts, likes, location check-ins, connections, and more. Social media companies harvest sensitive data about individuals’ activities, interests, personal characteristics, and purchasing habits. In short, even casual sharing on these sites adds to a detailed profile about you.
2) Online shopping and loyalty programs: Every time you shop online or use a store loyalty card, data about your purchases is recorded. Retailers track what you buy, when, and how (with coupon or card). Even offline purchases using a rewards card feed into databases. Over time, this builds a detailed purchasing history linked to your identity.
3) Browser fingerprinting: This technique collects bits of information about your browser and device (such as which plugins you have, screen size, time zone, etc.) to create a unique “fingerprint.” That fingerprint can identify you uniquely across sites, even without cookies.
4) Mobile app identifiers and SDKs: On phones, each app often reports usage data back to its developer or advertising partners. For example, iOS and Android assign a unique advertising ID to your device, and apps can read that ID and log your activity. Many apps also include third-party SDKs (software development kits) from analytics or ad companies that silently collect data on your in-app behavior and send it off for profiling.
5) Cookies and tracking pixels: A cookie is a small file your browser saves from a website. It lets the site recognize your device later. A tracking pixel (also called a web beacon) is a tiny, invisible image embedded in a webpage or email that reports back when you view it. Together, cookies and pixels allow companies to “remember” your visits, log which pages you view, and build a record of your browsing even after you leave a site.
What data brokers are and how hey sell your information
Data brokers are companies whose entire business is buying, aggregating, and reselling personal information. They collect data about you from many places and bundle it into profiles. This industry is massive (estimated at around $200 billion per year) with thousands of firms globally. Big-name brokers include companies like Experian, Acxiom, Epsilon, and many lesser-known “people search” sites.
Using sources like public records, social media, data breaches, and data brokers assemble extensive dossiers on individuals. They collect ordinary details such as names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, as well as sensitive traits: gender, marital status, education level, occupation, income range, hobbies, and interests. Brokers may even buy data about your health (like what drugs you purchase) or political views gathered from public voter records or social media activity.
After building these profiles, brokers sell or license them to anyone who will pay. Typical customers include Marketers and Advertisers, Insurers and Lenders, People Search and Data Services, Employers and Background Checkers, and more.
What happens to your data after it’s sold
Once your data is in the hands of others, it’s used to profile and segment people in ways that can affect what we see and the opportunities we receive. Profiling simply means grouping people by common traits or habits, such as “young urban pet owners” or “people likely to buy a new car this year.” These profiles are then used to serve you targeted ads and offers.
Targeted advertising can feel creepy or manipulative. For example, you might notice ads for products you only briefly mentioned in a private message or web search, because your data was shared with dozens of advertisers behind the scenes. Every time you load a page with ads, your data profile is broadcast to companies through automated ad auctions, and they bid to show you ads.
Beyond advertising, there can be more serious consequences such as identity theft and stalking. Broader profiles mean more tempting targets for criminals. People-search websites, which get data from brokers, can show your address, phone number, family members’ names, and even your Social Security number. This information can be used to steal your identity or harass you.
How you can take back control
There are many ways to take control of your personal data, several of which are listed in the section below, but the most effective is to consider a data removal service.
While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time.
A personal data removal service can help you remove all this personal information from the internet. It has a very clean interface and will scan 195 websites for your information and remove it and keep it removed.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com/Delete.
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4 ways additional ways to protect your data
You can take steps to reclaim some control over your data, and you don’t have to be a tech expert to do it. Here are some practical tips and resources:
1) Review privacy settings: Take a few minutes to explore the privacy and security settings on the services you use. For example, limit who can see your social media posts, disable unnecessary location-sharing on your phone, and consider turning off ad personalization on accounts like Google and Facebook. Most browsers let you block third-party cookies or clear tracking data. The FTC suggests comparing the privacy notices of different sites and apps and choosing ones that let you opt out of sharing when possible.
2) Use privacy-friendly tools: Install browser extensions or plugins that block ads and trackers. You might switch to a more private search engine (like DuckDuckGo or Brave) that doesn’t log your queries. Consider using a browser’s “incognito” or private mode when you don’t want your history saved. Even small habits, like logging out of accounts when not in use or using a password manager, make you less trackable.
3) Be cautious with personal data: Think twice before sharing extra details. Don’t fill out online surveys or quizzes that ask for personal or financial information unless you trust the source. Create separate email addresses for sign-ups (so marketing emails don’t go to your main inbox). Only download apps from official stores, and check app permissions.
4) Opt out of data broker lists: Many data brokers offer ways to opt out or delete your information, though it can be a tedious process. For example, there are sites like Privacy Rights Clearinghouse or the Whitepages opt-out page that list popular brokers and their opt-out procedures. The FTC’s consumer guide “Your Guide to Protecting Your Privacy Online” includes tips on opting out of targeted ads and removing yourself from people-search databases. (Keep in mind you may have to repeat this every few months.)
Kurt’s key takeaway
You may not be able to completely escape the data economy, but you can limit its impact on your life. By using privacy tools, being mindful of what you share, and demanding transparency, you make it harder for companies to treat your personal information as a free-for-all. Each small step, whether it’s tweaking settings, clicking “opt out,” or simply pausing before hitting “submit” on a form, helps you regain control. Ultimately, pushing for accountability from businesses and lawmakers is also part of the solution. After all, privacy is a fundamental right that deserves strong safeguards for everyone.
How comfortable are you knowing that your personal data might be used to target ads? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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