A White House roundtable discussed data brokering and protecting personal information. Participants shared insights and concerns about the harms and risks of selling consumer data. Issues raised include the surreptitious collection, use and sale of detailed sensitive data; predatory scams targeting individuals with cognitive vulnerabilities and increased risks to personal safety, including gender-based violence.

Participants explained how data brokers purchase or acquire large volumes of exceedingly detailed data about people including geolocation and health information often without their knowledge or consent.

Participants also discussed the many different parties to whom brokers sell data — including advertisers, financial institutions, employers, landlords and fraudsters — and the harms those sales have caused individuals and communities.