Do data brokers operate in Europe?

Yes. Acxiom, Experian, LexisNexis, and hundreds of smaller brokers operate across the EU. Clearview AI was fined EUR 65 million by EU data protection authorities for scraping 30 billion photos. The EDPB published a Data Brokers Market Study in March 2026 identifying eight distinct broker types active in Europe.

How do I exercise my GDPR right to erasure against data brokers?

Under GDPR Article 17, you can request any data broker to delete your personal data. Send a written request citing Article 17 to the company's data protection officer. They must respond within 30 days. If they refuse or don't respond, file a complaint with your national DPA. Fines reach up to 4% of global turnover.

Can data brokers still collect my data if I use a VPN?

A VPN hides your IP address and location from websites, but data brokers also collect from public records, loyalty cards, app SDKs, purchase history, and social media. A VPN is one layer — you also need to limit app permissions, use privacy-focused email, freeze credit reports, and actively submit deletion requests.

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Data Brokers Have 10,000 Data Points on You — Here's How to Delete Them

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