this post was submitted on 22 Sep 2024
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Privacy

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How did they get my data? I uncovered the hidden web of networks behind telemarketers. (theconversation.com)
submitted 6 days ago by 101@feddit.org to c/privacy@lemmy.world
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[–] RangerJosie@lemmy.world 28 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Everyone sells your data. Yes literally everyone. Even the ones that promise they won't. (The mulligan is in the EULA you're forced to agree to)

You put your name and email into any website ever, then you're out there. On untold numbers of lists.

Ordered a pizza online? They got your number, name, email, and location. And it was sold before you ordered that pizza.

Ever bought a single item on Amazon? Same thing.

Insurance quote online? Sold to a data broker.

If you wanna sleep poorly for the next week? Take a deep dive into just how much of the economy runs on that data. Data with no protections. Freely traded on the open market. You can even buy your own data. Don't do it. It'll scare you to death. But you can do it.

[–] mearce@programming.dev 9 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Where can I go to buy my data, and how much will it cost me?

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 5 points 6 days ago

No one is buying you specifically though. It's basically all just data dumps.

It would have been nice if the author explained how the marketing companies knew when they got his data from. They could have just said any company to get him off the phone for all we know.

[–] dohpaz42@lemmy.world 7 points 6 days ago

I’d be interested in learning more on how to trace my data, beyond asking the telemarketers where they got it.

[–] MrJ199414@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago

So I get zero calls now. I spent a year not answering my phone (helps I work nights) but when I was able to answer I just sent it to my Google assistant every single time. They always hang up before it finishes the introduction. I haven't received a spam call in two and a half years now.