Share this @internewscast.com

Personal information about active-duty U.S. service members is cheap, easy to buy and widely advertised by data brokers who sell Americans’ data, according to a Duke University study published Monday.

The researchers behind the study said they purchased a variety of data including names, phone numbers, addresses and sometimes even information like the names of service members’ children, their marital status, net worth and credit rating, often for as little as 12 cents per person. In total, the researchers bought nearly 50,000 service members’ records for a little over $10,000.

The research has prompted fears that a lack of major regulation in the data brokerage sector may constitute a national security risk. Senators who received an advance look at the Duke study said in emailed statements that it highlighted the need for action.

“This report further solidifies the need to address this gaping hole in the protection of U.S. servicemembers,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. “We must act in the interest of national security and protect those who defend our nation.”

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called the findings “a sobering wake-up call for policy makers that the data broker industry is out of control and poses a serious threat to U.S. national security.”

The study found more than 500 data broker websites that advertised information on service members, though some refused to sell that information when they realized the buyers were academic researchers. Others required a nondisclosure agreement. The Duke researchers ultimately purchased thousands of records from three brokers, which they did not name.

Justin Sherman, a fellow at Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy, which conducted the study, said the findings highlight a side of privacy regulation that’s less often discussed.

“We have this interesting policy gap, which is our privacy conversations are primarily about consumer privacy,” Sherman said. “And that’s really important, but they don’t think much about national security.”

Some brokers offered records specific to certain areas, which could help a purchaser determine where an active-duty military service member is stationed.

The availability of service members’ data is considered a national security concern because it can be used by foreign spies to identify and court Americans with access to state secrets.

“Information on people that you don’t want being approached by foreign intelligence services being reasonably easy to acquire is not a good situation,” Jeff Asher, a former CIA officer, told NBC News.

A panel commissioned by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a report this July that found U.S. intelligence agencies routinely purchase such “commercially available information” on Americans with little issue or oversight.

“There is also a growing recognition that CAI, as a generally available resource, offers intelligence benefits to our adversaries,” the panel found.

A Pentagon spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Some countries, particularly in the European Union, have strict regulations to guide industry practices of collecting, packaging, buying and selling personal information. U.S. law has put some limitations on medical data and information on young children, but Congress has failed to agree on a general data privacy bill.

“And not to sound like a broken record, but our country desperately needs a comprehensive consumer privacy law here, to limit the collection, retention and sale of sensitive personal information from the start,” Wyden said.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
EU approves $105 billion loan to Ukraine to aid in war against Russia

EU Greenlights $105 Billion Aid Package to Support Ukraine in Ongoing Conflict with Russia

The European Union has officially sanctioned a substantial 90-billion-euro loan package to…
Denmark train collision injures 18 people

Train Accident in Denmark Leaves 18 Injured

COPENHAGEN — A head-on collision involving two local trains occurred north of…
Hiker stumbles on human skull in iconic desert as mystery grows and detectives open homicide probe

Human Skull Discovery in Iconic Desert Sparks Homicide Investigation: Mystery Deepens as Detectives Probe

A chilling find in the isolated deserts of Southern California has initiated…
Long Island PTA mom accused of stealing $50K from elementary school while she served as NYPD officer

Long Island PTA Mom and NYPD Officer Charged with Embezzling $50K from Elementary School Funds

On Wednesday, authorities reported the arrest of a PTA mom from Long…
Curses, Foiled Again: The FBI Thwarts a Potential Terror Plot Directed at a Texas Synagogue

FBI Successfully Intercepts Planned Terror Attack on Texas Synagogue

On Thursday, FBI Director Kash Patel revealed the collaborative efforts of the…
Trump is considering major expansion of refugee program for white South Africans

Trump Weighs Significant Expansion of Refugee Program for White South Africans

WASHINGTON, April 23 — The Trump administration is weighing a significant increase…
Lawmakers send letter demanding 'immediate action' on California's fuel crisis

Urgent Call to Action: Lawmakers Demand Swift Resolution to California’s Fuel Crisis

Bipartisan state lawmakers in California are pressing the state’s energy authorities to…
California man accused of killing ex-wife and new boyfriend makes bold move in chilling  body-cam video

Chilling Body-Cam Footage Reveals California Man’s Shocking Move in Ex-Wife and Boyfriend Murder Case

Footage from a body camera reveals the subdued arrest of a 43-year-old…
Second alleged Guthrie ransom deadline missed, sparking new theories from Bongino, former FBI agent and doctor

Speedy DNA Test Results Possible in High-Profile Nancy Guthrie Case, Expert Reveals

A prominent figure in genetic genealogy anticipates that the analysis of a…
Biological male killer housed in Oregon women's prison wins high-dollar legal settlement in sex abuse suit

Transgender Inmate Secures Significant Legal Settlement in Oregon Women’s Prison Abuse Case

A convicted murderer who transitioned from male to female while incarcerated has…
'Pro-life Spiderman' sentenced to prison for climbing Las Vegas Sphere

Daredevil Activist ‘Pro-Life Spiderman’ Faces Prison for Scaling Iconic Las Vegas Sphere

A Nevada judge has delivered a sentence to Maison Des Champs, known…
Spencer Pratt accuses Karen Bass’s crew of getting MAGA merch at White House

Spencer Pratt Alleges Karen Bass’s Team Acquired MAGA Merchandise at the White House

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass recently returned from Washington, D.C., with more…