Data brokers must now follow the same rules as credit bureaus

The US consumer protection agency wants to apply credit reporting rules to data brokers. This means companies that sell personal data will face new limits on how they collect and share information.

For years, data brokers have operated with few rules, selling sensitive personal information without the same oversight as traditional credit bureaus. This proposal means they will now be treated like credit bureaus, which are heavily regulated. It could make it harder for companies to buy and sell data about people's financial lives, health, and other sensitive details.