Nine companies that know everything about you

Data brokerages can figure out if you're a fan of The King. Source: News Limited

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YOU hear it all the time. How much data the likes of Google and Facebook have on you. How they're tracking your every move across the internet.

Or maybe it's how we should all be terrified of the NSA or other national intelligence networks who are supposedly spying on you. Maybe.

But it's nothing compared to the actual information these nine companies know about you. And you've probably never even heard of them. According to Quartz, the nine companies you should be worried about are Acxiom, Corelogic, Datalogix, eBureau, ID Analytics, Intelius, Peek You, Rapleaf and Recorded Future.

They're called data brokerages. In other words, they amass and then sell the data they have on you to other companies.

Did you just buy a puppy? They already know about it, and probably whether your canine friend prefers wet or dry dog food. Source: News Limited

The way these companies collect data on you is multi-pronged and what it knows about you can include your social media activity, your financial transactions and history, your current and past home addresses, what magazines or other media you've subscribed to, your household make-up and your household income.

Other demographic information such as your ethnicity, gender, marital status, education level, the languages you speak and your criminal history are probably expected.

But more than that, data brokerages can figure out things about you like whether you're a big spender or thrifty, what music you like, whether you have a pet, your political affiliation, sport preferences, whether you like hipster crafts, whether you believe in alternative medicines or if you collect Elvis memorabilia.

Data brokerages are back in the spotlight this week due to a report from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) who has concluded these companies operate with a "fundamental lack of transparency".

That holiday to the Pacific Islands? They know about that too. Source: Supplied

The data they have on you can be compiled into profiles such as 'organic lifestyle' or 'new mum' so when a brand selling organic baby clothes is looking for a particular kind of consumer to target, they know where to go.

Of the nine companies analysed by the FTC, many of them have an Australian presence, including Acxiom, Corelogic (which owns RP Data) and eBureau.

Late last year, Acxiom told US consumers it would open its data files so they can see exactly what information it has on them, and give them the opportunity to correct any mistakes. However, critics argued the company was merely pre-empting any potential government regulation or it was a marketing ploy.

The FTC has now recommended the US Congress enact legislation to lift the shroud of mystery around data brokerages for the average consumer.

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