We manage huge chunks of our life online these days, which means there is a mass of personal data entrusted to a range of different companies. You probably already use Apple privacy tools like App Tracking Transparency, Hide My Email, and iCloud Private Relay, but none of that helps with data that is already out there publicly exposed on the internet.
Even things as seemingly innocuous as our hobbies and interests can be valuable data when it comes to those who want to try to sell us things or – worse – to scam us.
The problem of data brokers
Personal data doesn’t just exist in isolation. Data brokers are companies who make a business out of trying to acquire as much data as possible about each person they find on the internet, collate it in a way that provides a detailed picture of our lives – and then make it available for sale.
That information is purchased by companies who want to spam you. It gives them a solid idea of your interests and therefore the type of products you are likely to buy, as well as things like brand preferences. This type of information is the reason that spam phone calls are on the rise.
