Data Broker Breaches Fueled Nearly $21 Billion in Identity-Theft Losses

A congressional minority report and investigative journalism found that four major data-broker breaches have been tied to an estimated $20.9 billion in consumer identity-theft losses; the inquiry also revealed that several data brokers used “no index” tags and other dark patterns to hide opt-out and deletion pages from search engines, hampering consumers’ ability to protect personal data. After outreach, most firms took steps to restore visibility and improve opt-out access, while one firm (Findem) failed to respond, prompting concerns about its privacy practices and handling of consumer requests.