A question about data collection, and selling of mailing lists?

Question

Various companies just assume the right to collect information such as my name, birthdate, email, address, etc.  They compile lists with completely inaccurate data and sell it as part of mailing lists to other companies that largely specialize in junk ads. This is done without my permission, and I must be bothered to take the time to find out who they are and tell them I want my data deleted.  They typically comply; however, I should not have to take that extra time to bother with them. 
How about I start my own business? I want to compile names and detail and sell mailing lists full of inaccurate profiles. However, I will specialize in details belonging to federal judges, and executives of the companies who collect data and sell it.  Those names are always excluded somehow.  Anyway, so long as it is legal to sell my details, I have every right to sell their details. Right? 

 If you happen to work for a data mining company, maybe you can tell me why you guys always attach my name to fake profiles.  Seriously why to you get my state wrong, elevate my job title, and profile me with two kids?  Also, who is Catherine?  That is not my wife’s name. Also, I own a condo, not a house.  [sarcasm] If you are going to mind my personal business at least get it right. Being that you are so smart, I assume you know who I am and how to reach me. [/sarcasm]

Answer 1

That is called DATA MINING. It is perfectly legal to search the internet for data, including addresses and create a list of them and then sell that list. BUT -everytime a person complains you must taket heir name off of your list.

Answer 2

Ha-ha.  The New York Times has a 'Privacy Project' going on that you just have to look at, starting with Dec. 2019 articles and its expose of data industry practices.

Answer 3

As a security expert said on TV. The reason telemarketers violate do-not-call regulations is because they are criminals to begin with. I have a business and we get spoof calls every single day. We've been getting calls supposedly from Google for 3 years now, and now caller ID calls them "Daisy's Bakery". "Oh yes, I'm going to give money to someone who lies about their phone number and location!"  We've been getting emails saying that our Yahoo mail is going to die for 3-4 years, often 2-3-4 a day. They are criminals. Even if some of the rare data miners may not actually be outright criminals, they are still people with no useful purpose in life. They actually deserve our pity no less that telemarkers have always deserved pity. They failed at rocket science so they decided to call 100's of people who hate their guts, just to get even more abuse.

Answer 4

Why do you expect them to be smart?  They are good at coming up with lists...lists others will pay them to create and sell.  Thats all...it has nothing to do with you.  



You really think you havent granted access to your data through dozens of websites, apps, consumer discount programs (think grocery store rewards programs), etc.....

Answer 5

Calm down.



First of all, you would have agreed to let them use your information when you signed or otherwise approved of their terms of service. Sure, it might be in small print, but you signed it.



The reason the names and other information doesn't match reality is because, yes, many of the data mining companies have idiots running things. They mess up the columns on their spreadsheets, so the list of thousands of first names gets shifted one row through sloppiness, and everything that goes out is wrong. There's your explanation for that.



Where did you get the information that Federal judges and executives don't get junk mail? That's ridiculous. I know Federal judges and executives and they get just as much junk mail as everybody else. I guess pointing fingers of blame at people might make you feel good, but it doesn't match reality.



Junk mail and junk calls are a fact of life. I know people who have such a low entertainment threshold they think it's cute to engage in discussions with people who scam call, thinking they're doing something clever. In fact, every time you engage in a discussion with a scam artist, you're asking for even more scams. If you answer and talk to them, you'll go on a hot list and you can expect doubling or tripling of scam calls.



Just hang up on scam calls, and throw away junk mail. They're a fact of life. It does zero good to get all twisted up about it.