9 online privacy risks you probably don’t know about

Privacy risks are hiding in plain sight, as your personal data is likely being collected, tracked, and sold without your knowledge. It’s not just your name and email out there-data brokers are gathering much more sensitive information about your daily life, including your sleep patterns, medical visits, online habits, and even your relationship status. These details are compiled into detailed personal profiles and sold to advertisers, insurance companies, political campaigns, and in some cases, cybercriminals. What makes this especially concerning is that most of it happens quietly in the background, often without your consent.

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9 personal details you are sharing online without realizing it

You may think you’re protecting your privacy, but chances are you’re revealing more than you think through your everyday digital activity.

1) How sleep and fitness data is collected and sold

Fitness trackers, bedtime apps, and even your phone’s settings feed data brokers info about when you sleep, wake, and work out. That’s highly sensitive health data.

A recent data leak exposed over 8 million patient records, allowing cybercriminals to build detailed medical profiles that could be used to commit identity theft, insurance fraud, and conduct phishing attacks. Recent research reveals that over 28% of Americans had their SSN breached since 2020, exposing them to increased risk of experiencing cyberattacks.

YOUR HEALTH DATA IS BEING SOLD WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT 

2) Your streaming habits are being tracked

Every time you binge a show or stream a documentary, your smart TV, streaming apps, and browser record exactly what you’re watching, when you watch it, and how long you stay tuned in. This data helps build a behavioral profile of your tastes, routines, and emotional triggers.

It’s not just used for harmless recommendations; advertisers and data brokers tap into this to predict your mood, interests, and even potential vulnerabilities. Ever wonder why oddly specific ads start showing up after a documentary binge? This is why. 

3) How long you read articles can be used to profile you

It’s not just the articles you click, it’s how long you linger on them that matters. Data brokers monitor whether you skim or dive deep into topics like health scares, financial worries, or personal relationships.

The time you spend on certain pages helps them identify your fears, desires, and private interests. This insight can later be used for hyper-targeted ads or, worse, by malicious actors looking to exploit your anxieties.

16 BILLION PASSWORDS LEAKED IN MASSIVE DATA BREACH 

4) How data brokers infer your relationship status

You might keep your relationship off social media, but your online footprint gives you away. Your purchase history, social check-ins, and frequent location visits tell data brokers whether you’re single, dating, engaged, or married.

They can even infer relationship trouble by analyzing certain patterns, like increased visits to bars or late-night takeout orders. This deeply personal information can end up in a detailed profile on some sketchy website you’ve never heard about.

5) Your location data may reveal medical visits

Your phone’s location data doesn’t just map your commute; it tracks visits to places like fertility clinics, addiction centers, and therapists’ offices. That data gets sold to brokers who categorize you based on these visits, sometimes flagging you for health-related concerns you haven’t publicly shared.

One study found that 74% of health-related data was sold without users’ knowledge or consent. This information could be used to hike insurance rates, deny you payouts, or target you with sensitive, intrusive ads.

6) Home value and crime stats used to target you

Public records make it easy for data brokers to access your home’s value, tax history, and neighborhood crime rates. These are used to target you with aggressive refinancing offers, alarm system ads, or moving service promotions.

Scammers also use this data to profile households they think are vulnerable based on property values or crime rates. The result is an increased flood of junk mail, spam calls, targeted online ads you never asked for, or worse, like physical safety risks. 

7) Data brokers know who you live with

By monitoring Wi-Fi connections, shared deliveries, smart home devices, and online purchase patterns, data brokers can determine exactly how many people live in your home. They often build profiles on your family members too—even if they’ve never created an online account themselves.

This allows advertisers to tailor ads to your household, making your family’s online activities part of your digital profile. It’s invasive, and most people have no idea it’s happening. 

8) Your political views can be tracked through online behavior

Even if you keep politics off your social media feeds, your browsing history tells a different story. The news articles you read, political newsletters you subscribe to, and nonprofits you donate to all get tracked.

Data brokers use this to place you on lists of likely voters for certain parties or causes. This can lead to politically targeted ads, donation requests, and even manipulation attempts around election seasons, all without your explicit permission.

10 SIGNS YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS BEING SOLD ONLINE 

9) Life milestones are tracked before you announce them

The internet picks up on your major life milestones long before you announce them. If you start browsing for engagement rings, baby gear, or moving boxes, data brokers immediately flag those behaviors.

This triggers waves of ads and marketing campaigns designed to capitalize on your upcoming life changes. In many cases, you’ll start seeing offers and promotions months before you tell your closest friends or family members.
 

How to find out which data brokers have your information and remove it

While no service can completely erase every trace of your data online, using a trusted data removal service is one of the most effective steps you can take. These services actively monitor and submit removal requests to hundreds of data broker websites, saving you hours of tedious work. It is not cheap, but when it comes to protecting your personal privacy, the cost is worth it. Reducing the amount of exposed data tied to your name lowers your risk of being targeted by scammers who often combine breached data with what they find online. If you are ready to take control of your personal information, start with my top picks for data removal services. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web

Kurt’s key takeaways

Your online activity reveals more than you think, and you do not need to overshare on social media for your data to end up in the wrong hands. Everything from your location history to your streaming habits can be tracked, sold, and used to build a profile on you. That profile can be used by advertisers, data brokers, political groups, or even cybercriminals. The good news is that you can push back. Being aware of what you are sharing is the first step. Second, using a trusted data removal service can make a real difference. You do not need to be paranoid, but you do need to be proactive. Taking control of your digital footprint is one of the smartest things you can do to protect your privacy in today’s hyper-connected world.

Do you think more needs to be done to stop companies from being allowed to know everything about you while you’re left in the dark?  Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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