The average data broker holds roughly 1,500 data points on each individual. The largest brokers, like Acxiom, maintain profiles with over 3,000 data points on 2.5 billion people worldwide. Here's a look at exactly what they know about you — and how they got it.
The Types of Data Brokers Collect
Basic Personal Information
- Full name and aliases
- Home address (current and all previous)
- Phone numbers (cell, landline, work)
- Email addresses
- Date of birth and age
- Gender and marital status
- Social Security Number (in some cases)
Financial Information
- Credit scores and credit history
- Income level and net worth estimates
- Bankruptcy records
- Loan applications and payment history
- Property ownership and mortgage details
Health and Medical Data
This is one of the most alarming categories. Epsilon alone tracks over 100 medical conditions, procedures, and ailments. Because data brokers are not classified as "covered entities" under HIPAA, there are no restrictions on them collecting and selling health-related data.
Online Behavior and Interests
- Websites visited and search history
- Social media posts and likes
- Online purchase history
- Mobile app usage
- Streaming and music preferences
- Online gaming activity
Location Data
Precise geolocation from your mobile device, including where you go, how long you stay, and how often you visit. The FTC found that InMarket collected location data from 100 million unique devices per year, cross-referencing location histories with points of interest.
Public Records
- Voter registration and political affiliation
- Court and criminal records
- Marriage and divorce records
- Motor vehicle records
- Property records and tax assessments
- Professional licenses
Household and Lifestyle Data
- Names and ages of household members
- Pet ownership
- Vehicle ownership
- Religious affiliation
- Ethnicity
- Hobbies and interests
They Know More Than You Think
Your profiles are traded an estimated 8 to 10 times per month between brokers, with each exchange enriching the data. Acxiom alone advertises up to 11,000 "data attributes" per consumer.
How They Categorize You
Data brokers don't just collect raw data — they sort people into detailed consumer segments used for targeted marketing. A single broker studied by the FTC maintained 3,000 data segments for nearly every US consumer.
These segments range from the innocuous ("dog owner," "cycling enthusiast") to the deeply personal ("diabetes interest," "expectant parent," "financially vulnerable"). Categories based on ethnicity, income, medical conditions, and religious affiliation raise serious ethical concerns.
The Scale of the Industry
The data broker industry is enormous:
- Market size: Estimated at $294-333 billion in 2025
- Number of brokers: Approximately 4,000 worldwide
- North America's share: 43-48% of global revenue
- Growth rate: 7-10% annually, driven by AI and IoT adoption
Major players include Acxiom/LiveRamp, Experian, Equifax (data on 220 million US consumers and 33 million businesses), Epsilon, CoreLogic, LexisNexis, Oracle, and Nielsen.
Notable Incidents
The data broker industry has faced increasing scrutiny:
- X-Mode Social (2024): Sold raw location data from over 10 billion data points without informed consent
- Avast (2024): Ordered to pay $16.5 million and banned from selling browsing data after claiming its products blocked tracking while secretly selling the data
- Gravy Analytics (2024): FTC's first-ever prohibition on collecting consumer data from real-time advertising bidding exchanges, after the company sold data about consumers' religious affiliations and medical decisions
- LeapLab: Sold Social Security and bank account numbers of hundreds of thousands of consumers directly to scammers
California's DELETE Act
In January 2026, California launched the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP), the first public service allowing a single deletion request to every registered data broker in the state. A Data Broker Enforcement Strike Force was also established in late 2025.
What You Can Do About It
- Opt out of data brokers individually — a time-consuming process that needs to be repeated every few months
- Limit what you share online — tighten social media privacy settings, be selective about what apps you install, and think twice before filling out surveys or loyalty programs
- Use privacy tools — VPNs, ad blockers, and privacy-focused browsers reduce the data brokers can collect about your online behavior
- Use a data removal service — automate the opt-out process across hundreds of brokers
PrivacyOn automates the removal of your personal information from 100+ data broker sites and continuously monitors for your data reappearing. In an industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars built on selling your information, taking control of your data is one of the most impactful steps you can take for your privacy.