Data Mining: How Companies Know Your Personal Information

TIME:

Each of these pieces of information (and misinformation) about me is sold for about two-fifths of a cent to advertisers, which then deliver me an Internet ad, send me a catalog or mail me a credit-card offer. This data is collected in lots of ways, such as tracking devices (like cookies) on websites that allow a company to identify you as you travel around the Web and apps you download on your cell that look at your contact list and location. You know how everything has seemed free for the past few years? It wasn't. It's just that no one told you that instead of using money, you were paying with your personal information.

Read the whole story: TIME

Comments

[cf01]

01:46 AM on 03/11/2011

um. it wouldn't take that many teenagers to be running a bunch of "generate the fake persona" programs astroturfers are currently using to turn every social data mining operation to s**t.

and it would be hilarious. the dizzy marketeers would have to create whole new "demographics" for these fake people. can't hardly wait.

[JScott]

12:00 PM on 03/11/2011

Yup there's mining done on me I've seen some of it and it's mostly wrong (good for me) there's even a pic (again it's not me) ;
' my warranty cards, my customer-reward cards, the songs I listen to online, surveys I was guilted into filling out and magazines ' I don't fill those out or I intentionally put the wrong info in.-I intend to PUNK these multi billion $ corps. any way I can. so phu* em all.

[keep it solid]

01:21 AM on 03/11/2011

"You know how everything has seemed free for the past few years? "
yup, no free lunch. Just free cookies :)

[littlebrowngirl]

12:37 AM on 03/11/2011

Not all that hard since many people give the information out freely.

[redsquirell]

12:20 AM on 03/11/2011

"Mining?" Right, mining is hard work. How many adults on the Net? Could a computer system monitor all Internet traffic? I assume every time I write or view something on the Web the government knows. Maybe they don't, but still not a bad assumption. Who owns the government? ... rich "business" people, so they have more than enough information I am sure.

[Tenement Funster]

09:33 PM on 03/10/2011

I almost never see ads on the net. I use a Firefox extension, Script Blocker, that prevents adware (like that which is part of this site's page coding) and java based files from executing on my computer unless I give permission. Firefox' Ad Block is also very effective. Both will also speed up your browser's performance. So advertisers can gather info on me, but it is a complete waste of time and effort on their parts..

[fuelie]

03:08 PM on 03/10/2011

Just like the book, 1984 - big brother is watching.

[JScott]

12:01 PM on 03/11/2011

ONly now we want you to watch we want be famous and on a reality show.