Data brokers explained: who sells your information and how to opt out
Data brokers collect and sell personal information, often without your knowledge. Here is how the industry works, what they know, and how to reduce your exposure.
What data brokers do
Data brokers aggregate personal information from public records, commercial transactions, online tracking, and other sources, then sell or license it to marketers, insurers, employers, and others.
The data includes contact info, demographics, financial indicators, health interests, purchase history, and location patterns. Much of it is inferred rather than directly collected.
The industry operates largely out of public view. Most people are unaware that detailed profiles exist and are traded.
How they get your data
Public records (property, voter registration, court filings) are a foundational source.
Commercial data comes from loyalty programs, warranty cards, magazine subscriptions, and purchase records sold by retailers.
Online data comes from tracking cookies, fingerprinting, app SDKs, and social media scraping.
Inferred data is derived: income brackets, health conditions, political leanings, and life events like moving or having a child.
- Public records and government filings
- Retail and loyalty program data
- Online tracking and fingerprinting
- App SDKs and mobile location data
- Social media and public profiles
Why it matters
Brokered data fuels targeted advertising, price discrimination, and risk scoring. It can affect insurance rates, credit offers, and even job prospects.
Errors in brokered data are common and hard to correct, since you may not know which broker holds what.
The profiles persist and are updated continuously, so opting out once is not enough.
How to reduce your exposure
Opt out of major brokers. Many have web forms; some require mail or phone. Services like DeleteMe and Privacy Duck automate this for a fee.
Reduce the source data: limit loyalty programs, use aliases for sign-ups, and avoid oversharing on social media.
Use privacy-focused browsers and content blockers to reduce online tracking that feeds brokers.
Freeze your credit to limit the impact of identity-related data sales.
- Opt out of major data brokers (Acxiom, Experian, Epsilon, etc.)
- Use email aliases for sign-ups
- Limit loyalty programs and warranty cards
- Use a content blocker and privacy browser
- Consider a paid removal service
What this site helps with
Our tutorials include a data-broker removal guide with step-by-step opt-out instructions. The tracker detection tool shows which third-party trackers are on the page you are viewing.
No personal data is collected by this site. All analysis runs locally in your browser.