What DeleteMe and Incogni aren't telling you

About this video

• Video Title: What DeleteMe and Incogni aren't telling you
• Channel: Reject Convenience
• Speakers: Narrator (implied)
• Duration: 00:32:25

Overview

This video explores the world of data brokers, explaining what they are, the different categories they fall into, and the types of data they collect. It critically examines data deletion services like DeleteMe and Incogni, questioning their effectiveness and value proposition, and offers insights into what consumers can do to protect their privacy.

Key takeaways

• Data Broker Categories: Data brokers are categorized into five main types: People Search Services, Marketing Data Brokers, Financial Information Data Brokers (Credit Reporting Bureaus), Risk Mitigation Data Brokers, and Personal Health Data Brokers, each with unique data collection practices.
• Personal Health Data Risks: Personal health data brokers collect sensitive information without HIPAA protection, selling it to pharmaceutical companies and advertisers, leading to targeted ads based on health concerns.
• Inferred Data and Advertising: Marketing data brokers use "inferred data," derived from various online activities and personal attributes, to create user personas for targeted advertising, often linked to advertising IDs rather than direct personal information.
• Limitations of Deletion Services: Services like DeleteMe and Incogni primarily target People Search Services and are less effective against other types of data brokers. Their effectiveness is debated, with the potential for manual deletion being more efficient and free.
• The Real Problem is Data Collection: The video argues that the core issue is the unrestricted collection of data by large companies, rather than the data deletion services themselves. It advocates for stronger privacy laws and consumer action.