“Private Brokers”? What are their names these “private” brokers. Who are such entities?
Finally- is APPLE doing this with their phone location data? And, without a warrant for doing so.
eliminate locations on phones for the time being. So, can’t use the bells and whistles— so what? Try reading a real map, with landmarks.
“Private Brokers”
It’s a whole industry, evolved from the “marketing data” industry. Remember those survey cards that would come with every appliance, electronics, etc. purchase. They gave a very poor picture of consumer markets. Most of the time people (like me!) wouldn’t bother to send them in. Think that on super-duper steroids thanks to the Internet. The Internet has made what once was voluntary mandatory. You get on the Internet; your interests are revealed! More is collected by the Tech Giants then the government could ever hope to do! The government could close down much of their SIGINT and just buy it from the Tech Giants. For the most part this is the only way these Internet Tech Giants can make money. They sell the collected “interests” of their users.
Also, anyone who can hand them a check can buy it. Corporations looking to develop and market a product, companies planning maintenance agreements, etc. Couple all that “data” with AI Deep Learning algorithms and huge accurate picture of YOU is constructed. So far there’s nothing illegal about it, it’s just another form of “Marketing Research”. Note Insurance Companies are deeply interested in this data. That includes business, auto, & home. Your behavior and interest factor into their risk assessments. You’re “collected” against in ways you can’t imagine and IT’S NOT THE GOVERNMENT! it’s just companies trying to separate you from your cash. (Don’t you feel comforted that is just Good Ole Capitalism!) It will only get worse as the Internet of Things becomes more ubiquitous.
When I say anyone can buy it, I mean anyone!
For example, I am sure China collects it, they’d be foolish not to! They’ve made huge investments in Deep Learning, both internally and through their friends at for example “Google”. Couple that in with their DNA collection through the genealogy companies and they have a picture of you down to your molecules!