What you need to know DNA test companies have begun selling anonymized DNA data to large pharmaceutical companies and research facilities for genetic drug research. In some cases users have to opt-in to the terms of service for this data to be shared, but in other cases the disclosure is less transparent.
What you need to know: Employers can have a variety of reasons to monitor employees while they’re working, including to protect the company from lawsuits, to protect its intellectual property, to maintain the integrity of its hardware/software, and to make sure employees are following guidelines and maintaining productivity levels. These myriads of
What you need to know With more purchasing being conducted online and even offline transactions moving towards cashless methods, credit card transaction data has quietly become more sought after. They are sought by brands, retailers and investment institutions alike to understand shopper tastes, budgets and purchasing trends. This has given rise to
What you need to know: Ride hailing and micro-mobility companies (scooters, bikes, etc.) have a host of geolocation data on you from pick-up/drop off locations when utilizing its service. To date these companies have not monetized this data with third parties but there exists speculation that they may do so in the
What you need to know: Many residential buildings have become outfitted with keyless access technology that uses fobs, pin codes, smartphone apps or even biometric recognition technology. Many of these buildings collect and store data on when you enter and exit the building. In addition, some smart home devices may give landlords
What you need to know: Medical data, including hospital/doctor records, drug prescriptions, insurance claims and laboratory tests are often shared by healthcare providers like health systems, pharmacies, insurers and other medical institutions. Often this data gets into the hands of data brokers who pool and aggregate these data points and in turn
What you need to know: Retailers often use location-based online advertising to attract you to their store. Once you’re within the store, many large retailers also use what are known as beacons– small electronic devices that are hidden throughout the store. If you have the retailer’s app on your phone it can