Bipartisan Senators question the sharing of Americans' personal info

[JorgeV]

Hello,

Few Americans realize that some auction participants are siphoning off and storing ‘bidstream’ data to compile exhaustive dossiers about them. In turn, these dossiers are being openly sold to anyone with a credit card, including to hedge funds, political campaigns, and even to governments,

This information would be a goldmine for foreign intelligence services that could exploit it to inform and supercharge hacking, blackmail, and influence campaigns,

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[lammert]

I am trying to understand the next sentence.

For most online ads, although only one company wins the auction, hundreds of firms participating receive information about the potential recipient of the ad, including device identifiers and cookies, web browsing and location data, IP addresses, and age and gender.

Does this mean that participants on an ad exchange, who bid on an ad, receive all user identifiable information for that ad, even if they are outbid by another participant and their own ad is never displayed? This would be a goldmine for low-price bidders who never win an auction, but still have access to lead information for any type of follow-up action. This seems like a loop hole.

[JorgeV]

Hello,

Does this mean that participants on an ad exchange, who bid on an ad, receive all user identifiable information for that ad, even if they are outbid by another participant and their own ad is never displayed?

Yes, but it's obvious. These information are used by all participants to decide if they'll be bid, and how much.

This would be a goldmine for low-price bidders who never win an auction, but still have access to lead information for any type of follow-up action.

Good point, and I am sure that this is a business model.