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Data Broker Opt Outs

What are they: Commercial data brokers acquire, purchase, accumulate, and sell information about consumers; they have vast information on most Americans. Data brokers offer some very limited opt outs, and not all data brokers offer opt outs. If you are a victim of identity theft, a law enforcement professional, or a victim of domestic violence, the opt outs may be important for you. Opt out policies can be challenging to find on the data broker sites. When you read the opt out offerings carefully, you will see that they are often qualified. Consumers who are victims of identity thieves, victims of domestic violence, public officials, and others may have the greatest interest in seeking what opt out options are available. Some commercial data brokers allow some categories of consumers to opt out of some limited uses and disclosures of personal information.

How: Acxiom, Choicepoint, and Lexis Nexis are the largest data brokers, so, if you are an identity theft victim, a law enforcement professional, or have a strong safety need to opt out of data broker databases, start with these three companies first. For more information on data broker opt outs: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse Info Brokers Opt Out page and CDT Opt Out Site.

• Acxiom: To opt out of some of Acxiom’s marketing and directory products, request an opt out by sending an e-mail to optoutus@acxiom.com or by calling 1-877-774-2094. For more information Acxiom opt outs: http://www.acxiom.com/default.aspx?ID=2851&DisplayID=18.
  

• Choicepoint: All consumers can opt out of the Choicepoint Marketing database by completing the online form at http://www.privacyatchoicepoint.com/optout_ext.html#optout. ChoicePoint may allow public and elected officials, including law enforcement officers, to opt out of certain PFG products and services in cases where the official is working undercover, on a high-profile assignment, or under threat of death or serious bodily harm. Public and elected officials must submit their opt out requests, in writing on official government letterhead: Also, ChoicePoint may allow certain private individuals who are facing a substantial risk of physical harm or who are victims of Identity Theft to opt out of certain PFG products and services with a written request that includes documentation substantiating the risk of physical harm or the individual’s status as an Identity Theft victim, including a properly filed police report, or a letter from a law enforcement agency, or a law enforcement contact familiar with the issue necessitating the request.
  

• Intelius: Intelius' out policy is unclear, nevertheless, to opt out, go to http://find.intelius.com/privacy-faq.php#5.
  

• Lexis Nexis: If you are a state, local or federal law enforcement officer or public official and your position exposes you to a threat of death or serious bodily harm; or you are a victim of identity theft; or you are at risk of physical harm you may opt out at http://www.lexisnexis.com/terms/privacy/data/remove.asp.
  

• US Search Profile Opt Out: You can opt out of information culled from non-public record sources, such as from magazine subscriptions. To opt out, mail in a signed request with: your full name, e-mail address, mailing address, social security number, date of birth, past addresses and aliases. For more on US Search opt out: http://www.ussearch.com/consumer/commerce/about/privacy.jsp;jsessionid=0WgYmX6nG96xwxsPoXhG9A**.node4?adID=10002101.
  

Internet Portal Opt Outs

What are they: Internet portals give users accept to the Internet.

How: Some large Internet portals allow some limited forms of opt outs. Read the privacy policies of the Internet portals you use. The following are opt outs for some large Internet portals.

• Amazon: Find out about you choices at http://amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/102-6769060-6468131?ie=UTF8&nodeId=468496#choices. After you sign in, there is a Customer Communications Preferences link at http://amazon.com/gp/gss/ccp/.

• Ebay: After you sign in, you can make choices by finding the Preferences link under My Account.
• MSN: At http://MSN.com, click on the privacy link at the bottom of the main screen. Then look for Communications Preferences. You will be offered a series of links that allow you to exercise choice about the types of communications that you will receive.
• Yahoo: After you sign in, click the Options Link and then click on YAHOO! Delivers. You can then select or unselect what types of advertising email that you want. If you do not uncheck the boxes, all boxes will be automatically selected.
  

Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) Opt Out

What is it: The Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) offers a centralized opt out to avoid some types of tracking of their web activities. Some online ads appear on multiple web sites, network ads. If you browse with cookies turned on (as many people do) at a couple or more of web sites with network ads, or make some purchases or register at those sites, then your activities may in some situations be tracked. In some cases, things you do online can be linked back to you personally by name or email address and then merged with other information about you.

If you opt out of NAI tracking, it means that companies that have tracking ads at multiple web sites will no longer assemble a file of all of the places you have visited, will no longer link your web activities with you personally, and will no longer merge the web activities connected with their ads with other information about you.

The NAI opt out uses what is called an "opt out cookie" to tell advertisers not to track you. For more information: NAI Frequently Asked Questions Page.

How: Open your web browser and check the cookie settings to accept all cookies. Go to http://networkadvertising.org/consumer/opt_out.asp and click the Consumer Opt Out button. You will see an opt out page listing network advertisers with checkboxes to check and uncheck. If the page did not automatically opt you out of everything you wanted to opt out of, you can follow the individual links listed under each advertiser on the NAI opt out page. After you have opted out, if you must keep the opt out cookies on your computer.

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