Florida's DMV Made $77 Million -- By Selling Off Personal Information

[DamianTV]

https://yro.slashdot.org/story/19/07...al-information

Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles "made $77 million in 2017 by selling drivers' personal information to more than 30 private companies, including marketing firms, bill collectors, insurance companies and data brokers..." according to local news site.

schwit1 shared this report from WPTV:

A Florida woman is blaming the state government for an onslaught of robocalls and direct mail offers â"- accusations that come as the Scripps station WFTS in Tampa uncovered that the DMV makes millions by selling Florida drivers' personal information to outside companies, including marketing firms.

WFTS I-Team Investigator Adam Walser obtained records showing the state sold information on Florida drivers and ID cardholders to more than 30 private companies, including marketing firms, bill collectors, insurance companies and data brokers in the business of reselling information.

They also report that the woman was illiterate, and "had no digital footprint â" until she got an ID." But within days, her legal guardian reports she was "receiving direct mail offers for lawn service, credit cards, cell phones and insurance. She also now receives constant robocalls and salespeople have even started showing up at her door."

And their investigation revealed more damning details. One data broker said their firm "has an agreement with the state to buy driver and ID cardholder data for a penny a record." A promotional video on their web site brags they have "access to 2.5 billion customers and two-thirds of the world's population."

Though it may be possible to opt-out of data collection from individual marketing companies, a spokesperson for the state of Florida "said there's no way for drivers to opt out if they don't want their personal information sold."

If you dont believe you are slaves, then why do you get no say so at all when it comes to the buying and selling of your data, to which you receive ZERO compensation? Then to add insult to injury, the "benefit" you are told is "you are shown ads" which means you get to trade money you dont have for $#@! you dont need. And thats a "benefit"? No. The real goal has always been to crush public dissent before it can ever take hold and become a formidable force that challenges the powers that be. Last thing they want is an Informed Public capable of Critical Thinking, based on information that does not paint the Status Quo in a flattering light. Control the information and you control the people.

[Swordsmyth]

But its a private company, they can do what they want.........................OH................... .........WAIT..................................... ..

[jkr]

RICO


And no , not Uncle Rico...

[oyarde]

They should have to give the 77 million to the peoples whose info was sold after they are all fired .

[DamianTV]

They should have to give the 77 million to the peoples whose info was sold after they are all fired .

If the people profited from the buying and selling of their data from every company / agency that wanted it, they would have gotten a LOT more than 77 million back.

[timosman]

The Florida DMV should be sued for selling citizens' privacy data below market price and probably getting kickbacks in the process. They didn't even get $5 per name.