Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC
The Firm
201-896-4100 info@sh-law.comThe Firm
201-896-4100 info@sh-law.comData brokers are important participants in the Big Data economy. After its lengthy investigation of the data-broker industry concluded, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released its report titled “Data Brokers: A Call For Transparency and Accountability.” The report recommends that legislation be passed requiring companies to disclose more information about the data they collect and allowing consumers greater access to the information collected about them by data brokers. The nine data brokers examined in the F.T.C. report were Acxiom, CoreLogic, Datalogix, eBureau, ID Analytics, Intelius, PeekYou, Rapleaf and Recorded Future.
The White House previously issued its own report which focused on how companies can gather large amounts of data, which can result in discrimination against certain racial, ethnic or socioeconomic groups. The White House report called for Congress to pass the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, which President Obama proposed in 2012. The FTC’s report contains similar terms to the White House report.
A data broker collects and analyzes information about consumers in order to formulate assumptions about them. This “consumer profiling” places customers in certain groups for marketing and other purposes. The information can be sold to companies to determine the types of products and services that should be offered to a person. However, the conclusions drawn from the data can be wrong. Thus, it was concluded that there was the need to allow consumers more control over the data collected about them.
The FTC report states that companies that are collecting such personal information about customers should be transparent and accountable. Privacy advocates believe the FTC should have gone even further. They claim too much responsibility is placed on consumers to monitor the data brokers. Instead, the data brokers should be required to contact the consumer when his or her information is about to be sold.
Companies in the data collection industry have been taking some steps to be more transparent, such as setting up websites that allow a consumer to see some of the information that has been collected and some of the assumptions made from it. However, there is still a long way for data brokers to go before they will be completely “transparent.”
No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Special purpose acquisition companies (better known as SPACs) appear to be making a comeback. SPAC offerings for 2025 have already nearly surpassed last year’s totals, with additional transactions in the pipeline. SPACs last experienced a boom between 2020–2021, with approximately 600 U.S. companies raising a record $163 billion in 2021. Notable companies that went public […]
Author: Dan Brecher
Merging two companies is a complex legal and business transaction. A short form merger, in which an acquiring company merges with a subsidiary corporation, offers a more streamlined process that involves important corporate governance considerations. A short form merger, in which an acquiring company merges with a subsidiary corporation, offers a more streamlined process. However, […]
Author: Dan Brecher
The Trump Administration’s new tariffs are having an oversized impact on small businesses, which already tend to operate on razor thin margins. Many businesses have been forced to raise prices, find new suppliers, lay off staff, and delay growth plans. For businesses facing even more dire financial circumstances, there are additional tariff response options, including […]
Author: Brian D. Spector
Business partnerships, much like marriages, function exceptionally well when partners are aligned but can become challenging when disagreements arise. Partnership disputes often stem from conflicts over business strategy, financial management, and unclear role definitions among partners. Understanding Business Partnership Conflicts Partnership conflicts place significant stress on businesses, making proactive measures essential. Partnerships should establish detailed […]
Author: Christopher D. Warren
*** The original article was featured on Bloomberg Tax, April 28, 2025 — As a tax attorney who spends much of my time helping people and companies who have large, unresolved issues with the IRS or one or more state tax departments, it often occurs to me that the best service that I can provide […]
Author: Scott H. Novak
On January 28, 2025, the Trump Administration terminated Gwynne Wilcox from her position as a Member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or the Board). Gwynne Wilcox, a union side lawyer for Levy Ratner, was confirmed to the Board for an original term in 2021 and confirmed again for a successive five-year term expiring […]
Author: Matthew F. Mimnaugh
No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Consider subscribing to our Firm Insights mailing list by clicking the button below so you can keep up to date with the firm`s latest articles covering various legal topics.
Stay informed and inspired with the latest updates, insights, and events from Scarinci Hollenbeck. Our resource library provides valuable content across a range of categories to keep you connected and ahead of the curve.
Let`s get in touch!
Sign up to get the latest from the Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC attorneys!