Why Data Brokers Are Still Thriving

Despite growing public awareness and new privacy laws, data broker companies that buy, sell, and aggregate personal information continue to thrive. These firms compile data from credit reports, social media, app usage, and even offline purchases, building profiles that can include thousands of data points per person.

A 2024 report from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties revealed that the real-time bidding ad ecosystem, which fuels much of this data collection, transmits personal data about EU and U.S. internet users hundreds of billions of times per day.

While laws like the EU’s GDPR and California’s CCPA require transparency and opt-out mechanisms, enforcement gaps and loopholes mean data brokers largely continue business as usual. Many consumers don’t realize how far their data travels once collected.

Advocates call for stronger action: direct bans on certain data sales, centralized opt-out systems, and stricter penalties for violations. In the meantime, privacy-conscious users can use opt-out services like DeleteMe or Privacy Bee to limit exposure, though these are partial solutions at best.