July 24, 2024

This paper explores the magnitude and reach of the Identity Resolution and Customer Data Platform industries, how they came to be, and most importantly, why, from a human well-being perspective, it’s crucial that these kinds of platforms be held to higher regulatory standards of scrutiny, transparency, and accountability. One identity resolution company alone out of 93  such companies (worldwide) boasts the collection of 5,000 data elements for [each of] 700 million consumers in 2021. To put this in perspective, the number of user accounts breached worldwide in 2023 was about 300 million1. Is there an appreciable difference between stolen user data and undisclosed “legitimate” personally identifiable information sharing? Moreover, nearly 40% of the 93 companies that provide identity resolution platforms are registered data brokers.

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