California DMV department makes $ 50 million a year by selling drivers’ data

We’ve heard of large tech companies making money by selling private data, but car administrations across the United States are also making money through this practice, including California DMV, which gets 50 million a year by selling driver personal information.

The California Public Records Act already keeps track of how many companies pay data to California’s automotive regulators. In fiscal year 2017/2018, this number was $52,048,236, compared to $41,562,735 in fiscal year 2013/2014. This data includes driver name, physical address, and car registration information.

Although the document did not specify which companies requested this information, it included data brokers and credit agencies. Some car administrations also sell information to private investigators, and in some cases, they are hired to find out if their spouse is derailed.

The California Department of Automotive Management said that data requesters may also include insurance companies, vehicle manufacturers and prospective employers and that the money earned is used for public and highway safety, including providing insurance, risk assessments, vehicle safety recalls, traffic research, emissions research, background checks and more.

Via: vice