Several firms have been ordered to hand over data about how they collect and use data about consumers. One of those companies is CoreLogic Inc.
Concerns about the collection and use of consumer data has prompted the Federal Trade Commission to issue orders to nine data brokerage firms, including CoreLogic.
The FTC said it wants to use the information to study privacy practices in the data broker industry.
Among the details sought by the FTC are the nature and sources of information collected; how the data is used, maintained and disseminated; and the extent to which consumers are allowed to access and correct their information or to opt out of having their personal information sold.
Data brokers like CoreLogic collect personal information about consumers from a variety of public and non-public sources then resell the information to other companies.
CoreLogic has one of the deepest databases in the mortgage industry.
“In many ways, these data flows benefit consumers and the economy; for example, having this information about consumers enables companies to prevent fraud,” the agency stated. “Data brokers also provide data to enable their customers to better market their products and services.”
The orders follow a privacy report issued earlier this year by the FTC that established a “voluntary framework of best practices for businesses based on the concepts of privacy by design, consumer control, and increased transparency for the collection and use of consumer data.”
A study will be prepared by the FTC from the responses, and recommendations will be made on improving privacy and practices.
