Data broker and online people search service Spokeo that sells detailed information profiles on millions of consumers will pay $800,000 to settle Federal Trade Commission charges.
Spokeo collects personal information about consumers from hundreds of online and offline data sources, including social networks, the FTC said. It merges the data to create detailed personal profiles of consumers, containing the consumer’s name, address, age range, and email address. The profiles can also include hobbies, ethnicity, religion, participation on social networking sites, and photos.