What is data aggregation?
Definition
Data aggregation is compiling data from one or many sources into a single combined view, which can reveal things that no single piece of data shows on its own.
- Category
- Data
- Also called
- aggregated data
- Last updated
NIST's glossary describes data aggregation as a compilation of data that together may give a holistic view, but may also increase risk. The combined data can, for example, de-anonymize people or expose sensitive information, and the data may come from a single source or many.
Companies use aggregation in harmless ways all the time: adding up sales by region, or averaging app usage across all customers. In that sense it just means summarizing data.
The privacy problem starts when the aggregated data is about you. Your name in a voter list, your address in a property record and your phone number in an old breach are each small. Put them in one file and you get a profile someone can use to find you, impersonate you or pressure you.
That is how a data broker or people-search site works: it gathers records from many places and presents them as one page about one person.
Aggregated data vs. anonymized data
People often assume aggregate data is anonymous. It isn't always. NIST's wording flags de-anonymization as a risk, because combining enough fields can point back to one person. True anonymization has to remove that link.
Why it matters to you
You usually can't control the individual sources, but the combined profile is what does the damage. Removing listings from the sites that aggregate your details makes you harder to find.
How to protect yourself
- 1
Share fewer details in public places
Each profile, form and public record adds a piece. Leave out your birthday, phone number and home address wherever it isn't required.
- 2
Use a separate email address for sign-ups
A dedicated address makes it harder to link your shopping and forum accounts to your real identity.
- 3
Ask sites that combine your data to remove it
Most people-search sites have an opt-out form, and listings can reappear. Serus finds the sites that list you where you live and sends the removal requests for you.
See where your personal data is exposed
Serus finds it on data brokers and people-search sites and removes it.
Frequently asked
What is an example of data aggregation?
A people-search site that joins your name, address history, phone numbers and relatives from separate records into one profile.
Is data aggregation legal?
It depends on the data, the country and what is done with it. Privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA set rules on collecting and sharing personal data. For a specific case, ask a lawyer.
What is the difference between data aggregation and data mining?
Aggregation compiles data together. Data mining analyzes large sets of data to find patterns. Aggregated data is often what gets mined.
Sources
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