Data Collectors Know What About You?

     According to Fox Business, data collectors watch every aspect of your life. They know how much money you make and what kind of jobs you have; that lets them know the amount of money you have to throw around. They collect information about your cars from some public records: they know if your car is older (and thus you have to spend a lot of money on it), or if you have a brand-new car that hardly needs work, which means more money you can put into buying their products. They know what you like to do when you have free time, and if you're good at managing your money. 

     Using all of this information, they center your internet advertisements on you. If you like to kayak, there’s a good chance they may advertise their new line of kayaks. They know if you've had health problems, or if you’re scared about getting some type of sickness. They keep track of how much you spend on medicines, and may advertise medicines for less than what you've been spending. Last summer, if you took a trip to the beach, they know. They can tell by tracking your spending.
     They also know about your social relationships. If you post that you’re in a relationship on Facebook, it can be shared with a third party, which could be a data collector. That would cause them to advertise products and events for couples. They watch all your web page views from your computer or phone. This can let them know where you spend the most time on the Internet, so they can try to get your attention there. Not only do they know what you do, but they also know where you do it. If you have an app that uses location services (Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, just to name a few) they can see where you spend most of your off-time. They collect demographic information about you, like your race, ethnicity, and even where you go to church. They know if you like Miley Cyrus or Luke Bryan. They know if you like to read fantasy novels or poetry. We all love to watch those funny videos on YouTube; well, they know that, too. They keep track of what music you stream, what books you download to any device, and what magazines you’re subscribed to. Data collectors even know if you've just had a new baby, or if you've just been engaged to the love of your life. They keep track of all your major life events. Data collectors even go as far as knowing what political views you have. They view information that is available publicly, and for that they may be able to guess who you voted for or who you may vote for in the future.

-Kellie Bass