20 Things the Internet
already knows about your data
In fact, they’re collecting information about your habits right now.
Ever wonder why you keep seeing ads for that product you looked at a week ago? How coincidental it is that you just received a discount code for the website you visited yesterday?
At this point it’s safe to assume that your search history, web browsing, social media habits, and online purchase data is all freely available. But beyond that, much more is known about you by those who know how to find it and are willing to pay for it.
If you have any sort of social media accounts, these are pretty simple to dig up:
1 – Name
2 – Gender
3 – Age
4 – Race/Ethnicity
5 – Relationship status (past, present and future too, if you are engaged)
…and in this age of smartphones, GPS tracking, and digital streaming numbers 6-12 are also easy enough to discover.
6 – Location (where you live + your usual routes)
7 – Employment status
8 – Income level (how much you make determines what product ads you see)
9 – Education
10 – Religious and political affiliations
11 – Fitness/health habits (including that gym membership you never use)
12 – Media consumed (yes, the internet knows you just binge watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Keep in mind, even though you may limit what data you provide through social media, smart devices and app permissions, companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple still have access to numbers 13-20.
13 – Your IP addresses (a unique number that identifies your home + work computer)
14 – Devices used (your smart watch, security camera, smart speaker, etc.)
15 – CAds that you have clicked on (obviously)
16 – Various communications (messages, online calls, Facebook messenger, Skype)
17 – Calendar details (how you spend your time, how organized you are, the dentist appointment you scheduled on Thursday)
18 – Facial recognition (not just Face ID…think public surveillance)
19 – Voice data (Alexa, Siri and Google assistant all have records of your unique vocalization)
20 – Financial Information (who you bank with, spending habits + credit card numbers)
Now you know! Like it or not, your consumer data already exists.
This list is actually just the tip of the big data iceberg. As we dive deeper into the benefits this data can provide to us, we will happily provide more and more.
The primary way companies collect data is to simply have you give it to them. The iPhone Health app, for example, collects all kinds of personal data related to your health and websites like Trivago collect travel information on their users.
It’s up to consumers to be aware of what information is given up, when and how.
However, it’s also up business owners that aren’t currently utilizing this data to be aware that this data is available for more strategic and powerful tactical campaigns. This data can be used to show more relevant products and services to a more relevant audience that are more likely to engage with.
This data isn’t just limited to big companies. If you would like to find out how your business can use this data to increase your customer base, take a look at:
