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A few years ago there was a startup called Paysa. You searched by employer and it showed you the salaries of each job title. My company was small enough that it
by mcculley 5y ago
A few years ago there was a startup called Paysa. You searched by employer and it showed you the salaries of each job title. My company was small enough that it made it easy to see the salary of many of my employees. We did not initially understand where that data came from. I did not leak it. We put together that each leaked salary was of someone who had recently applied for a mortgage or auto loan.
Read the fine print next time you attach a paystub to a loan application. They are likely selling your data to aggregators.
- spdcbr 5y agoWhat are my options though? I can't opt out of them selling my data, can I?
- mcculley 5y agoYou might be able to pick a lender who does not sell your data. I have no idea.
- TimJRobinson 5y agoI hope Zero Knowledge proofs become widespread over the next decade to prevent having to give companies your data. With them you'll be able to prove you earn over X amount without actually letting them know what you earn.
- atty 5y agoWhile I share the hope for such technologies (and hopefully some form of complete digital personal ID system in the same vein), that would require government mandates, which I think will be unlikely considering we can’t even get major investments for climate change, because the companies collecting this data benefit from it, and almost certainly won’t give it up willingly.
- xwdv 5y agoWhat is the impact of this to me personally?
- mcculley 5y agoIt depends on how you feel about others knowing your income. Many people are very unhappy to have such information leaked.