Privacy Bee’s mission is to protect your personal information from exploitation, remove your personal information from the internet when necessary, and give you back control of your privacy. Privacy Bee offers several tools—many of them free—to put you back in control. For example, we provide every user with a 100% free data privacy dashboard with an in-built data breach monitor and Privacy Risk Score that evaluates your level of exposure.
When removing and protecting your personal information, we prioritize Data Brokers and People Search Sites—and for good reason—but it’s not enough.
Privacy Bee also works to remove your personal information from company databases. In fact, the company works with over 117,000 organizations to help bring your privacy preferences back to life.
At the center of everything we do is the exposure of PII (personally identifiable information). Let’s delve into this real quick.
PII Exposure: Definition and Risks
PII stands for personally identifiable information; most likely, there’s a bunch of yours on the internet.
As the name implies, PII can be used to identify you. It can also be used to compromise your privacy. For example, identity theft and financial fraud would be impossible without publicly available PII. Further, PII can be used to stalk or harass someone.
PII exposure is the unauthorized release or theft of PII. At this moment, unauthorized parties likely have access to your data. Conservatively, it’s estimated that over 80% of people have had their PII exposed. In truth, the number is probably much higher.
The Risks of PII Exposure
Having your PII exposed is a severe risk. Because, well, there are bad people out there who know how to manipulate it for their benefit.
An ambitious attacker armed with just a few pieces of your personal information can cause serious damage. With only your name, address, and email, they can begin to piece together other sensitive details about you, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, financial accounts, and more.
This information allows an attacker to open accounts and credit cards in your name, steal login credentials, and even compromise your employer! It is imperative that you remove this personal information or partner with a company that can.
Do you know how much of your info is on the web? Find out with a free scan!
Data Brokers and People Search Sites
“This isn’t just about the convenience and/or irritation of targeted ads. Data Brokers operate in a sprawling, unregulated ecosystem which can get very creepy, very fast.”
John Oliver, host of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (source)
By 2031, it is estimated that the data brokerage market will be worth nearly half a trillion dollars. That’s how much your personal information is worth.
Perhaps you don’t mind sharing your info, and that is your right. But you should know that data sharing has consequences; namely, you increase your risk of identity theft and fraud. Also, you are more at risk of spam, telemarketing, and even physical altercations.
People Search Sites
A type of Data Broker that is particularly common is People Search Sites. If you’ve ever been shocked at the amount of info a simple Google search can reveal, you can thank People Search Sites like WhitePages and Spokeo.
While Data Brokers and People Search Sites are often lumped together, there are a few differences. The table below highlights some of the differences:
| Aspect | Data Brokers | People Search Sites |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Source of Data | Public records, online activity, purchase data, social media data, and more | Public records, social media data, and other online data |
| Stated Purpose | Collect and sell data for marketing, research, and other purposes | Provide information to users about individuals for various purposes, such as background checks and reconnecting with old friends |
| Data Produced | Extensive and often detailed profiles on individuals, including personal information, interests, and behaviors | Contact information and public records, such as criminal history and marriage/divorce records |
| Transparency | Not transparent about data sources and how data is collected, used, and shared | Generally more transparent about data sources and how data is collected, used, and shared |
| Opt-out Options | May offer opt-out options, but not always | Generally offer opt-out options |
| Regulation | Regulation is limited and enforcement is often weak | Subject to some federal and state regulations, but regulation is limited and enforcement is often weak |
Both Data Brokers and People Search Sites may hold a bunch of your private data, including:
- Full name
- Address
- Phone numbers
- Email address
- Social media accounts
- Driver’s license and Social Security numbers
- Birthdates
- Credit scores
- Credit card details
- Biometric data
- Health history
- Current and past employers
- Education history
- Relative info (minimum is usually name, address, and phone number)
Fortunately, you can remove this personal information.
How Privacy Bee Scrubs Your Personal Information
Privacy Bee takes a strategic, multifaceted approach to scrub your personal information from the internet and ensure long-term privacy. For ease of reading and logical flow, let’s go step by step!
Step 1: A Deep Scan
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” said one wise sage. Think of Privacy Bee’s free privacy scan as the single step on the journey of data privacy.
In less philosophical terms, Privacy Bee scans across the internet and dark web to find traces of your information that have been exposed. Our cutting-edge technology searches in the deep, dark crevices of Data Brokers and People Search Sites for any data “breadcrumbs.”
Step 2: Immediate Removal Requests
In the likely event that Data Brokers or People Search Sites hold your info, we immediately get to work on removing it. Using the full force of the law, we submit opt-out requests and keep submitting them until your data is removed.
Privacy Bee users often report seeing results within a matter of hours or days.
Step 3: Custom Privacy Declarations
It’s shocking how much data companies hold on customers (and non-customers!). Sales departments purchase massive datasets from Data Brokers containing personal information. While a small number of “prospects” become actual customers, the vast majority of this private information is held without the person’s knowledge or consent.
To counter this privacy threat, Privacy Bee communicates with over 117,000 companies to ensure members’ privacy preferences are honored. All you have to do is declare which companies are trusted and which should delete your info.
Step 4: Marketing Exclusion and Opt-out
Proactive privacy management requires going beyond submitting removal requests, critical as they are. We must, and do, go further.
Mass marketers such as Publishers Clearing House and Valpak threaten your privacy by selling your data to third parties, including data brokers and social media platforms. We immediately remove you from these dangerous (and annoying) privacy killers.
Step 5: Leading Vulnerability Monitoring
Unfortunately, Data Brokers, People Search Sites, and data-hungry corporations never sleep. They’re constantly searching for the next pieces of information to add to your profile.
That’s why our best-in-class monitoring service provides 24/7/365 coverage to catch leakage or your PII the moment it happens. With our best-in-class vulnerability monitoring, you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re protected from the constant threats of data breaches and information leaks.
