Research shows that data from European internet users is shared by online advertising companies on average 376 times a day. This data includes internet history and information about which device you are using. The ICCL, Irish Council for Civil Liberties, speaks of a major data breach.
Data breach, Google to blame?
A report published by the ICCL shows that the data of European internet users is shared by online data traders. According to the same report, this happens at auctions of advertising spaces on apps and websites, among other things. At these auctions, data and data from and about European internet users are shared 376 times a day. This also happens if you no have given permission. As a result, the ICCL calls it a major data breach.
According to ICLL, Google in particular plays a major role in this, by giving more than 4,500 companies access to its RTB system. This is a technique whereby an advertising space in, for example, apps is traded ‘last minute’, when you open a relevant app or page. Think of it as a kind of marketplace for digital advertisements, in which advertisements find the right target group automatically and via algorithms. Advertising companies have to devise and deploy systems for this that can quickly reach the right people. Because Google gives companies access to this ‘complete marketplace’, companies can share their data about users with each other. This creates one large database containing data and data from users. According to the ICCL, the RTB system is thus: ”The largest data breach ever recorded. It tracks and shares what people view online and their real location 178 trillion times a year in the US and Europe.” The full report is available via this link to read and download.
Something to do?
The study looked at Google’s data trading over the past 30 days. Google has not yet responded to the report. Do you not want to be followed online, or at least make sure that this will be a lot more difficult? Then read this article in which we discuss the five best ‘privacy-friendly’ browsers.
Thanks, Patrick!
– Thanks for information from Androidworld. Source