What Is Data Broker?

also written as: people-search site, info broker

Quick answer · A data broker is a company that collects personal information from public records and commercial sources — addresses, phone numbers, relatives, sometimes court records — and sells access to it, most visibly through people-search websites. The listings are opt-out by default, which is why footprint-conscious people request removals site by site or through removal services.

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Brokers aggregate from mundane sources: property records, voter registrations, marketing databases, warranty cards. The composite they sell feels invasive precisely because no single source is — dozens of lawful collections add up to a profile the person never chose to publish as a whole. People-search sites are the consumer-facing edge: type a name, see addresses and relatives.

For verification work, broker listings are weak evidence — they're stale, error-prone and frequently conflate different people with similar names. Their real relevance here is the removal project: anyone shrinking their own footprint starts with the major people-search sites' opt-out flows, then keeps a scan of their name and handles as the periodic check on what has reappeared.

Related terms

Digital Footprint · OSINT

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Data Broker FAQ

How do I get my information off people-search sites?

Each major site runs its own opt-out flow — search their help pages for 'opt out' or 'do not sell'. It's per-site work and listings resurface, so re-check periodically; a scan of your name and handles shows which sites currently list you.

Are people-search site listings accurate?

Often not — records are stale, mixed between people with similar names, and include long-moved addresses. Treat a broker listing as a hint that data exists somewhere, never as verified fact about the person.

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