Data Brokers: Background and Industry Overview

Publication Date: May 2005

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Media, telecommunications, and information

Type:

Abstract:

Recent disclosures of breaches of the customer databases of LexisNexis and ChoicePoint have raised interest in the business and regulation of data brokers, companies that collect personal information from public and private records and sell this information to public and private sector entities. The growth of this industry has generally tracked the post-9/11 increase in government and private sector interest in quickly accessing personal information. The broad access to personal information that data brokers offer, however, has spurred concern as to the dangers of identity theft. This report provides an overview of the data brokerage industry and more specific background on LexisNexis and ChoicePoint.