How Data Brokers Track Your Pregnancy Before You Announce

In this episode of The Privacy Podcast, Lucas and Luna investigate how data brokers detect pregnancy and other life events before individuals choose to share them. They explore the case of Target's famous 2012 pregnancy prediction model, the modern data ecosystem that alerts marketers to health changes, and the legal gray areas under HIPAA and GDPR. Specific numbers include that 78 percent of parents surveyed by the Federal Trade Commission in 2022 were unaware that retailers could infer pregnancy from purchase patterns. The hosts also discuss practical steps listeners can take to limit this surveillance, such as using cash for sensitive purchases and reviewing loyalty program permissions. A subtle donation appeal ties to the week's topic of algorithmic inference. #PregnancyTracking #DataBrokers #Target #HIPAA #GDPR #Privacy #ConsumerRights #AlgorithmicInference #LoyaltyCards #FTC #LifeEventData #PredictiveAnalytics #HealthPrivacy #MarketingSurveillance #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #OnlinePrivacy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo