The data industry has come under fire in a Sunday Times investigation which claims the existence of a “cyberazzi” of intrusive businesses secretly building profiles on millions of people across the world.
Under the headline “Mad men are stalking consumers”, the article in the Business section of the paper paints a picture of a clandestine industry, spying on consumers’ every move.
To quote: “Called data brokers or database marketers, these firms often know more about consumers than the local tax authority. They know everything from their age, weight, race and marital status to their educational qualifications and their political leanings.”
For some reason Acxiom seems to be have been singled out for criticism, amid claims it has built “dossiers on 500 million consumers globally, with an estimated 1,500 pieces of information on each one”.
The article goes on: “Dubbed the cyberazzi for their intrusive methods, Acxiom and its rivals sell personal information to banks, retailers and other companies without consumers ever knowing about it.”
It also quotes FBI consultant Frank Abagnale – the fraudster portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie Catch Me If You Can – who claims most people are leaving themselves open to fraud by posting information online.
One industry source said: “This is the sort of sensationalised claptrap you would normally expect from the Daily Mail, not The Sunday Times Business section. Funny how it doesn’t mention that its owner News International has teams of people selling readership data to all and sundry.”
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