Data brokers are companies that collect, analyze, and share personal information about consumers for various purposes, such as marketing, risk mitigation, and research. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) conducted a study of nine data brokers in 2012 and published a report in 2014, titled “Data Brokers: A Call for Transparency and Accountability”. In the report, the FTC identified three broad categories of products offered by data brokers, based on the primary purposes for which the products are used by their customers. The three categories are: 12
Marketing products: These products help customers target potential customers, tailor marketing offers, measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, and improve customer relationships. Marketing products include data elements, segments, scores, lists, and analytics that are derived from consumer data. Data brokers may provide marketing products through direct marketing (such as postal mail, e-mail, or phone), online marketing (such as online display ads, social media, or mobile apps), or marketing analytics (such as measuring consumer behavior, preferences, and trends)12
Risk mitigation products: These products help customers verify and authenticate consumers’ identities, prevent fraud, and comply with legal obligations. Risk mitigation products include identity verification, identity authentication, fraud prevention, and compliance products that are based on consumer data. Data brokers may provide risk mitigation products through various methods, such as matching consumer-provided information with data broker records, generating questions or challenges based on consumer data, or providing scores or indicators of fraud risk or compliance status12
Research products: These products help customers understand consumer behavior, preferences, and trends, as well as market conditions, industry developments, and economic factors. Research products include reports, studies, statistics, and insights that are derived from consumer data. Data brokers may provide research products through various formats, such as online portals, dashboards, newsletters, or custom reports12
The FTC report did not include location of individuals as one of the three broad categories of products offered by data brokers. Location of individuals may be a specific type of product or service that some data brokers provide, but it is not a primary purpose for which data brokers use consumer data. Therefore, the correct answer is C. Location of individuals (such as identifying an individual from partial information).
References:
Data Brokers: A Call For Transparency and Accountability: A Report of the Federal Trade Commission (May 2014)
IAPP CIPP/US Certified Information Privacy Professional Study Guide, Chapter 5: State Privacy Laws, Section 5.3: Data Broker Laws
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