The Dark Reality of How Your Data is Sold and What You Can Do About It!

Every time you scroll through your social media, purchase online, or even search for a recipe, you unknowingly leave behind a trail of personal data. This information may seem safe, but it is often sold to the person who will pay the most. This can invade your privacy, and you might see ads you don’t want. 

The things you do online, like searching and clicking, are watched, put together, and sold again. You probably don’t even realize it. Many of us don’t notice this, but your information is now worth money. As a result, your privacy is constantly at risk. Even more alarming is that most people are unaware of how much control they’ve lost over their information. Connect with our IT Consulting Provider in Minneapolis for smart data protection, stronger privacy solutions, and complete control over your personal information.

In this blog, we will explore how your data is collected and sold, signs to know if your data is sold, and how you can protect your data.

How Your Data is Collected and Sold

Your personal data collection is performed in ways that often feel small, but when combined, they tell companies a lot about you. Here’s how it happens and how that data is sold without you noticing.

1. Websites and Online Tracking

Whenever you visit a website, it collects information about what you do on that site. This includes the pages you visit, the products you view, and the time you spend on each page. Many websites use cookies, small files stored on your browser, to track your behavior. This information is then shared or sold to advertising companies so they can target you with ads that match your interests.

2. Mobile Apps and Permissions

Most apps on your phone ask for permissions, like access to your location, contacts, camera, or microphone. Often, they ask for more than they need. For example, a simple photo editing app may ask for location access, not because it needs it for the app but because it can sell data collected from you to third parties. Common permissions that lead to data sharing:

• Location
• Contact lists
• Call history
• Device information

3. Social Media Platforms

Everything you post, like, or comment on social media is tracked. Social platforms build profiles based on your activity and sell these profiles to advertisers. This is why you see ads that feel like they know you.

4. Loyalty Cards and Online Shopping

Stores and e-commerce sites collect data about your shopping habits through loyalty programs. They track what you buy, how often you buy, and even what you browse. This data is sold to brands and marketing companies that want to predict and influence your shopping choices.

In simple terms, companies collect small pieces of information from your daily online actions, combine them, and sell them to make money, often without your explicit consent.

How to Know if Your Data Has Been Sold

It’s not always obvious when your data has been sold, but there are signs you can watch for. If you notice these signs, it usually means your information has been shared or sold without your knowledge.

• More Spam Emails and Messages: If you suddenly receive many spam emails, marketing messages, or unknown calls, your email or phone number might have been sold to advertisers or telemarketers.
• Ads That Seem Too Perfect: If you see ads for products or services that match things you’ve recently searched for or talked about, your data is probably being used for targeted advertising. This means advertisers are accessing your online activity.
• Strange Offers or Scams: Receiving unexpected offers, strange deals, or even scam messages often means your details are circulating among marketers and possibly scammers.
• Data Breach Alerts: If you get a notification from a website or service about a data breach, your information has already been leaked and is likely being sold on data marketplaces.

In short, if you experience sudden spam, see extremely personal ads, or get breach notifications, it’s a strong sign that your data has been sold.

How to Protect Personal Data from Being Collected and Sold

In today’s digital world, protecting personal data is more important than ever. With so much of our lives happening online, there are countless ways that our data can be exposed. Fortunately, there are steps on how to protect personal data and maintain your privacy.

1. Use Strong, Unique Passwords

The first line of defense for your online privacy is a strong password. Weak passwords are easily cracked by hackers, putting your accounts at risk. To create a strong password:

• Combine upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
• Avoid using personal information like your name, birthday, or address.
• Consider using a passphrase (a combination of random words) for even more security.

It’s also essential to use unique passwords for every account. Reusing passwords increases the chances of multiple accounts being compromised if one gets hacked.

2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication (2FA) provides additional protection for your accounts. Even if a person knows your password, they cannot log into your account without the second authentication factor. This second factor could be:

• A text message with a code sent to your phone
• An app-generated code like Google Authenticator

Activating two-factor authentication safeguards your accounts, even if your password is compromised.

3. Limit the Personal Information You Share Online

The more personal information you share online, the more vulnerable you become. While social media and other platforms encourage us to share, it is important to think twice before posting. Here are some tips to protect your privacy:

• Avoid publicly sharing sensitive details like your address, phone number, or financial information.
• Review your social media privacy settings and adjust them to limit who can see your posts.
• Be mindful of the data you share with online surveys, quizzes, or websites.

By sharing less, you reduce the chances of your data being collected or misused.

4. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A VPN is crucial for safeguarding your privacy, mainly while using public Wi-Fi. It secures your internet connection through encryption, significantly increasing the difficulty for others to capture your data. Here’s why you should consider using a VPN:

• It hides your IP address, making it difficult for websites to track your location.
• It encrypts your online activities, preventing hackers or third parties from seeing your actions.
• Using a VPN when browsing on public networks is a good practice.

A VPN guarantees that your internet activities stay confidential and safe, even when using untrustworthy networks.

5. Be Cautious About Public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi networks are convenient but can also be a hacker’s playground. Using public Wi-Fi makes your personal information more vulnerable to interception. To protect yourself on public Wi-Fi:

• Always use a VPN when connecting to public networks.
• Avoid accessing sensitive information on public Wi-Fi, such as banking or shopping.
• Turn off sharing settings on your device to reduce the chances of your data being accessed.

These precautions will significantly reduce the risk of stealing your data on public networks.

6. Regularly Update Your Software and Devices

Cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving, and so is the software designed to combat them. Updating your devices and software ensures you have the latest security patches and fixes. Here’s what you should do:

• Set your devices to install updates for your operating system and apps automatically.
• Regularly update your antivirus and firewall software to protect against malware.
• If your device or app has a vulnerability, updates usually address it, keeping your data safer.

Outdated software makes it easier for hackers to exploit weaknesses, so keeping everything up-to-date is essential.

Final Thoughts

Your personal information is important, and many companies want to gather and sell it without your knowledge. But you can take simple steps to keep it safe, like using secure passwords, being mindful of what apps can access, paying attention to what you post online, and being careful when you buy things online. Being informed and changing your habits daily helps you protect your information. After all, your privacy is in your hands. For more guidance and expert support, contact our IT Support Eagan team.